Orlando Pirates' pursuit of a historic domestic quadruple remains firmly on track after a clinical 4-1 victory over Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Buccaneers, currently leading the Betway Premiership, showed no signs of complacency against the third-tier ABC Motsepe League side. Goals from Andre De Jong, Thalente Mbatha, Patrick Maswanganyi, and a late strike from Sipho Mbule ensured a smooth passage for the Soweto giants.
Early dominance
Pirates wasted no time asserting their authority. Just eight minutes into the match, winger Oswin Oppolis was brought down in the penalty area by TTM's Sithembiso Ngobe.
New signing Andre De Jong, making his first start since joining from Stellenbosch in January, stepped up to the spot and calmly converted to open his account for the club.
The lead was doubled in the 17th minute. Midfielder Thalente Mbatha found himself with space outside the box and unleashed a powerful long-range effort. The shot took a significant deflection off a defender, leaving the TTM goalkeeper helpless as it sailed into the net.
TTM fights back
Despite the two-goal deficit, the 2021 Nedbank Cup winners refused to fold. In the 39th minute, Sithembiso Ngobe redeemed his earlier error by curling a magnificent free-kick past Melusi Buthelezi, giving the underdog supporters a glimmer of hope heading into the halftime break.
Pirates slam the door
The second half, however, belonged entirely to the Sea Robbers. Head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou introoduced Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi at the restart, and the playmaker took less than five minutes to make an impact. After a slick one-two with Yanela Mbuthuma, Maswanganyi slotted the ball home to restore the two-goal cushion.
As the match drew to a close, substitute Sipho Mbule added the final flourish, finding the back of the net in the dying minutes to seal the 4-1 rout.
The win sees Orlando Pirates advance to the Round of 16, keeping their dreams of a clean sweep of domestic trophies alive. Having already secured the MTN8 and Carling Knockout titles this season, the Buccaneers look like the team to beat in 2026.