Mbombela – Orlando Pirates are Betway Premiership champions after ending a 14-year wait for the league title, beating ORBIT College FC at a packed Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon on the final day of the season.
Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s side went into the match sitting second on the log behind Mamelodi Sundowns, knowing that only a win would be enough to clinch the championship. They got exactly that, with two own goals from ORBIT doing the damage in a 2-0 victory that handed Pirates their 10th league title.
The Buccaneers dominated from the start, creating a host of chances early on, but were repeatedly denied by ORBIT goalkeeper Sabelo Nkomo, who produced a string of fine saves to keep his side in the game. 
Nkomo was called into action as early as the ninth minute, stopping a stinging long-range effort from Thalente Mbatha. Eight minutes later, the upright came to his rescue when Relebohile Mofokeng took a first-time shot following good work from Nkosikhona Ndaba down the left flank. Nkomo then went down low to deny Mbatha from close range as Pirates continued to pile on the pressure.
Tshepang Moremi spurned the best chance of the half in the 34th minute when he was played through on goal by Oswin Appollis, only to loft the ball over the crossbar when trying to lob Nkomo.
ORBIT’s clearest opportunity fell to Lethabo Modimoeng in the 44th minute from a corner kick, but his free header drifted agonisingly past the upright with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine beaten.
The breakthrough came in first-half stoppage time in the most unusual of circumstances. Nkomo, who had been outstanding throughout, came off his line to deal with a corner from Moremi but ended up fisting the ball into his own net.
ORBIT made matters worse just four minutes into the second half when Ndumiso Ngiba, who is on loan at the club from Pirates himself, put the ball into his own net to double his parent club’s lead.
ORBIT coach Pogiso Makhoye threw on five substitutes before the hour mark in an attempt to change the game, but the contest was already decided.
The result also had consequences at the bottom of the table. ORBIT were relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after Magesi FC beat Richards Bay to climb off the foot of the log. Magesi will now fight to preserve their Premiership status through the promotion and relegation playoffs against Cape Town City and Milford FC.
