2020–21 Orlando Pirates F.C. season
Orlando Pirates F.C. 2020–21 football season
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The 2020–21 season was Orlando Pirates F.C. 25th season in the South African Premier Division, the highest division of South African football league system. Orlando Pirates F.C. participated in the MTN 8 Cup, CAF Confederation Cup and the Nedbank Cup.
| 2020–21 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Irvin Khoza | ||
| Manager | Josef Zinnbauer | ||
| DStv Premiership | 3rd ( CAF Confederation Cup) | ||
| MTN 8 | Winners | ||
| Nedbank Cup | Quarter-finals | ||
| CAF Confederation Cup | Quarter-finals | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Vincent Pule (6) All: Vincent Pule (9) | ||
| Highest home attendance | None | ||
| Lowest home attendance | None | ||
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Review and events
Orlando Pirates F.C. won the MTN 8 cup and finished 3rd in the 2020–21 DStv Premiership and Qualified for the 2021-22 CAF Confederation Cup following Kaizer Chiefs loss to Egyptian Club Al Ahly SC in the 2020-21 CAF Champions League final. The team also reached the quarter-finals of the 2020-21 CAF Confederation Cup but were knocked out by Moroccan Club Raja Casablanca and eventual winners of the 2020-21 CAF Confederation Cup. In the Nedbank Cup, Orlando Pirates F.C. was knocked out by Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. The MTN 8 Triumph ended Orlando Pirates F.C. almost 6 year trophy drought since last winning a major cup in 2014, by winning the 2013–14 Nedbank Cup.
Players
First team squad
- As of 16 October 2020[1]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Competitions
DStv Premiership
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mamelodi Sundowns (C) | 30 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 49 | 14 | +35 | 67 | Qualification for Champions League |
| 2 | AmaZulu | 30 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 38 | 23 | +15 | 54 | |
| 3 | Orlando Pirates | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 33 | 22 | +11 | 50 | Qualification for Confederation Cup |
| 4 | Lamontville Golden Arrows | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 40 | 28 | +12 | 47 | |
| 5 | SuperSport United | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 37 | 31 | +6 | 45 |
Orlando Pirates F.C. finished the season 3rd, and qualified for the 2021-22 CAF Confederation Cup .
MTN 8 Cup
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
1st Leg
| Orlando Pirates | 3–0 | Kaizer Chiefs |
|---|---|---|
Z.Lepasa 26'V.Pule 66'T.Lorch 81' |
2nd Leg
Orlando Pirates won 5–0 on aggregate
Final
| Bloemfontein Celtic | 1–2 | Orlando Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| Luthuli 4' |
Report | Hotto 32' Lorch 53' |
Luthuli scores his goal after a corner kick for Bloemfontein Celtic in the 4th minute. Orlando Pirates player Thabang Monare received an injury and was replaced by Thembinkosi lorch. In the 32nd minute, Hotto levels the matter for Orlando Pirates and the score was 1–1. After half time Thembinkosi lorch was fouled in the box and the referee called for a penalty in which was taken by lorch and made it 2–1 for Pirates scoring his second goal in the competition. The match ended in 2–1 and Pirates took the trophy ending their six-year trophy drought.
Nedbank Cup
Second round
Orlando Pirates F.C. entered the second Round as by competitions rules that all 16 Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs start the competition at the second round.
Orlando Pirates was drawn with National First Division (NFD) club Uthongathi F.C.
| 6 February 2021 | Orlando Pirates | 1–0 | Uthongathi | Soweto, Johannesburg |
| 14:00 | Mhango 63' |
Stadium: Orlando Stadium |
Third round
| 27 February 2021 | Maritzburg United | 1–3 | Orlando Pirates | Pietermaritzburg |
| 18:00 | Kutumela 9' |
Dlamini 56' Hotto 57'Pule 78' |
Stadium: Harry Gwala Stadium |
Quarter-finals
| 15 April 2021 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 4–1 | Orlando Pirates | Arcadia, Pretoria |
| 17:30 | Shalulile 12' Zwane 49'Kapinga 78'Kekana 86' |
Mabaso 33' |
Stadium: Loftus Versfeld Stadium |
Orlando Pirates journey came to an end as they were eliminated by Mamelodi Sundowns.
International Competitions
CAF Confederation Cup
Orlando Pirates F.C. entered the 2020-21 CAF Confederation Cup first round, as they had 8pts from the 2018-19 CAF Champions League run.
First round
| 22 December 2020 | Sagrada Esperança  | 0–1 |  Orlando Pirates | Estádio dos Coqueiros, Luanda |
| 15:00 UTC+1 | Report |
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Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia) |
| 6 January 2021 | Orlando Pirates | Cancelled | Sagrada Esperança | Johannesburg Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 19:00 UTC+2 | Report |
Orlando Pirates won on walkover after Sagrada Esperança withdrew from the second leg in South Africa citing health concerns caused due to the new COVID-19 variant.[2]
Play-off round
| 14 February 2021 | Jwaneng Galaxy  | 0–3 | Orlando Pirates | Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone |
| 15:00 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Referee: Mathews Hamalila (Zambia) |
| 21 February 2021 | Orlando Pirates | 1–0 | Jwaneng Galaxy | Orlando Stadium, Soweto |
| 17:00 UTC+2 |
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Report | Referee: Norman Matemera (Zimbabwe) |
Orlando Pirates won 4–0 on aggregate
Group stage
Orlando Pirates F.C. were drawn into group A, after securing a slot from the play-off round.
Group A
Orlando Pirates F.C. finished the group as Runners-up.
- Tied on head-to-head points (3), on head-to-head goal difference (0) and on head-to-head goals scored (2). Head-to-head away goals scored: Enyimba 1, Orlando Pirates 0.
| 10 March 2021 | ES Sétif  | 0–0 | Orlando Pirates | Accra Sports Stadium, Accra (Ghana)[note 1] |
| 19:00 (19:00 UTC+0) | Report | Referee: Bakary Gassama (Gambia) |
| 17 March 2021 | Orlando Pirates | 2–1 |  Enyimba | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 16:00 (18:00 UTC+2) | Report | Referee: Blaise Yuven Ngwa (Cameroon) |
| 4 April 2021 | Al Ahly Benghazi  | 0–0 | Orlando Pirates | Benina Martyrs Stadium, Benghazi |
| 19:00 (21:00 UTC+2) | Report | Referee: Mahmood Ismail (Sudan) |
| 11 April 2021 | Orlando Pirates | 3–0 | Al Ahly Benghazi | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 16:00 (18:00 UTC+2) | Report | Referee: Kalilou Traoré (Ivory Coast) |
| 21 April 2021 | Orlando Pirates | 0–0 | ES Sétif | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 13:00 (15:00 UTC+2) | Report | Referee: Celso Alvação (Mozambique) |
| 28 April 2021 | Enyimba | 1–0 | Orlando Pirates | Enyimba International Stadium, Aba |
| 21:00 (22:00 UTC+1) |
|
Report | Referee: Helder Martins de Carvalho (Angola) |
Quarter-finals
| 16 May 2021 | Orlando Pirates | 1–1 |  Raja Casablanca | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 13:00 (15:00 UTC+2) |
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Report |
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Referee: Peter Waweru (Kenya) |
| 23 May 2021 | Raja Casablanca | 4–0 | Orlando Pirates | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca |
| 16:00 (17:00 UTC+1) | Report | Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria) |
Raja Casablanca won 5–1 on aggregate.
Summary
Orlando Pirates F.C. CAF Confederation Cup run came to an end after being eliminated by Moroccan Club Raja Casablanca.
Club awards
Orlando Pirates F.C. Season Awards :
Player of the Season - Deon Hotto and Vincent Pule (Tie)
Fan's player of the season - Deon Hotto and Vincent Pule (Tie)
Golden Boot Winner - Vincent Pule (9 goals in all competitions )
Prospect of the Season - Boitumelo Radiopane (MDC)
Goal of the Season - Vincent Pule on the turn vs Kaizer Chiefs F.C.
Save of the Season - Last minute save by Richard Ofori vs Bloemfontein Celtic F.C.
Notes
- The ES Sétif v Orlando Pirates match, originally scheduled to be played at Stade 8 Mai 1945, Sétif, was played outside Algeria at Accra Sports Stadium, Accra (Ghana) due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic imposed by Algeria on travelers from South Africa out of concern of the variant 501.V2.[3]