Mosimane era starts as Orlando Pirates target 13-point Betway Premiership lead

Orlando Pirates will be the first club to audition for newly appointed Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane when they travel to face Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.

The Betway Premiership champions can extend their lead at the top of the table to 13 points with victory against the league newcomers. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:30.

Pirates are currently level on 10 points with Mamelodi Sundowns, who will also face newly promoted opposition on Wednesday when they host Milford FC at Loftus Versfeld.

The match in Mbombela appears, on paper, to favour the visitors. Kruger United have lost three and drawn one of their opening four league games, scoring twice and conceding seven goals.

Pirates, who are preparing for the CAF Champions League, have shown far greater efficiency at both ends of the pitch. They have scored eight goals in the league and conceded only one.

The fixture will also mark the beginning of an important period for Mosimane, who was officially appointed Bafana Bafana coach at SAFA House on Tuesday. South Africa begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Guinea on 26 September, leaving the new coach with 25 days before his first competitive assignment.

Mosimane’s appointment brings an end to a protracted process that lasted 31 days. Hugo Broos left the position on 31 July, but Mosimane was not officially unveiled until 1 September.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach received public backing from the SAFA National Executive Committee on 8 August. However, negotiations over his salary delayed the announcement.

SAFA initially offered Mosimane an annual package of R5 million, leading to a dispute as his representatives sought to match the R16.8 million yearly deal previously received by Broos.

The governing body eventually doubled its offer, but a further two weeks passed while discussions continued over the members of Mosimane’s preferred technical team.

His immediate task will be to identify the players and structure capable of guiding Bafana Bafana through the opening stages of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. The national team’s first qualifier is against Guinea on 26 September, when the participants in the 2026 FIFA World Cup will host their opponents.

Mosimane’s appointment has already attracted criticism from his predecessor. In his parting comments, Broos said the decision would “set South African football back five years”.

Broos also suggested that the incoming coach would be likely to work with football agents who could seek to influence selections for the national team.

For now, Mosimane’s attention will turn to the domestic competition, with Pirates’ performance at Mbombela offering the first opportunity for Bafana Bafana’s new coach to assess several leading South African players in a competitive setting.