In honour of their achievement, we look back at the Buccaneers’ eight biggest wins since the 1996/97 season, four of which have come in the last two years.
Olympics 0-9 Orlando Pirates
Bob Save Super Bowl – 07 March 1999
Pirates’ biggest win in the PSL era came in this first-round tie in the Bob Save Super Bowl (now the Nedbank Cup). Amateurs Olympics could not handle their attacking flair and were 6-0 down by half-time before Pirates eased off in the second period. Sibusiso Zuma scored a hat-trick, while Phumlani Mkhize, Simon Makhubela and Thando Mngomeni got two each.
Orlando Pirates 6-0 Botswana Defence Force
CAF Cup Winners’ Cup – 13 March 1999
Just six days later, Pirates had another big win, this time in the CAF Cup Winners’ Cup first round as they thumped Botswana Defence Force 6-0. Makhubela and Mkhize were on target again, along with goals from Josep Ngake, Steve Lekoelea, Denis Lota and Andries Sebola.
Orlando Pirates 6-0 Free State Stars
League – 12 April 2000
Lekoelea and Lota each scored two goals as Pirates overwhelmed the men from the Free State. Thabo Mngomeni and Junaid Hartley were also on the scoresheet.
Orlando Pirates 6-0 Ajax Cape Town
League – 22 September 2004
Phumudzo Manenzhe scored twice, along with goals from Benedict Vilakazi, Tyren Arendse, Gift Leremi and Abednigo Netshiozwi, in this big league win for the Buccaneers.
Crystal Lake 0-6 Orlando Pirates
Nedbank Cup – 24 February 2024
It would be another 20 years before Pirates won a game by six goals, and on the receiving end was Mpumalanga fourth-tier side Crystal Lake in the Nedbank Cup. Pirates led 4-0 at half-time thanks to an own goal from Adam Khumalo, a Thapelo Xoki penalty and strikes from Relebohile Mofokeng and Patrick Maswanganyi. Xoki added another in the second half to go with a goal from Tshegofatso Mabasa.
Orlando Pirates 7-1 Lamontville Golden Arrows
League – 6 April 2024
Just six weeks later, Pirates demolished Steve Komphela’s Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership. Mabasa scored a hat-trick to go with goals from Mofokeng, Kabelo Dlamini, Sandile Mthethwa and Karim Kimvuidi on a night when they tore Abafana Bes’thende to pieces.
Orlando Pirates 8-1 Marumo Gallants
League – 24 December 2024
Pirates’ biggest league win in the PSL era came in an extraordinary clash with Marumo Gallants. The score was 1-1 at half-time, but Pirates ran rampant in the second period and it turned into a rout as they became the first team in PSL history to score six goals in a single half of a league game. A Kenneth Nthatheni own goal in the first minute set the tone, though former Buccaneer Gabadinho Mhango equalised for Gallants. Mabasa got another hat-trick in the second half, while Deano van Rooyen, Thalente Mbatha (two) and Boitumelo Radiopane were also on the scoresheet.
TS Galaxy 0-6 Orlando Pirates
League – 22 March 2026
This result came out of nowhere as TS Galaxy have actually been quite good defensively this season, but their goalkeeper, Ira Tape, had a nightmare outing with a litany of mistakes. Mofokeng scored his first-ever hat-trick, with Tshepang Moremi and former Rocket Kamogelo Sebelebele also on the scoresheet. Mlungisi Mbunjana scored one of the more ridiculous own goals you will ever see as he basically passed the ball beyond his goalkeeper.