Sibisi admits Pirates face painful week after MTN8 final defeat

Orlando Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi says the club must endure a difficult period of reflection after their 2-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final.

Pirates’ bid for a fifth successive MTN8 title ended at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, with Teboho Mokoena and Iqraam Rayners scoring for Sundowns.

The defeat came despite a strong defensive display from Sibisi, who was statistically the outstanding player for Orlando Pirates. The central defender was unable to prevent Sundowns from scoring once in the first half and again in late injury time.

The result ended the Buccaneers’ pursuit of a fifth consecutive crown and represented a major setback in their attempt to extend their recent dominance of the competition.

Orlando Pirates have won the cup 14 times, maintaining their status as one of the tournament’s most successful clubs despite losing the final.

Sibisi acknowledged the disappointment within the squad but said the team must use its performance as a foundation for the matches ahead.

Speaking to club media, he said: “A difficult one to take, you know. Very, very difficult. It’s going to be a very painful week for us. But we have to move on, we still have more games coming.

“I think we can still build from the performance; the boys left everything on the field, but it was just not meant to be.”

The Buccaneers will have little time to recover from the final before returning to domestic competition.

Orlando Pirates host TS Galaxy in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, at the Orlando Amstel Arena.