Orlando Pirates ended their tour of Spain in defeat, going down 1-0 to Saudi outfit NEOM in a friendly match at the Estepona Football Center on Friday.
The match marked the end of a valuable pre-season tour, with many combinations and tactics tested by the Soweto Giants’ two-week stay. They depart the south coast having taken to the field against five different teams from the host country as well as Saudi Arabia
With wholesale changes made from the eleven that started in their midweek triumph, Pirates were eyeing another big performance to cap off what has been a productive tour. They traded early opportunities with the Saudis, who were gifted their first chance at goal in the 12th minute through an error at the back, but winger Munahad Al-Sadd could not convert.
Pirates hit back with a chance of their own two minutes later, but Tshepang Moremi’s chip at goal landed over the crossbar. They maintained a degree of dominance for the remainder of the opening half, but shots from Boitumelo Radiopane and Thalente Mbatha failed to trouble the keeper.
A free kick conceded deep inside the Bucs half presented The Falcons a rare chance in the 31st minute, and it proved to be just the opening they needed as former West Ham forward Saïd Benrahma went direct and found the back of the net.
The Buccaneers immediately set out to restore parity, with Mbatha going narrowly wide from range before Oswin Appollis was denied as he fired at goal with six minutes remaining before the break. There was no change to the scoreline at the halfway mark as the equalizer remained elusive.
Following their measured start to the contest, NEOM kicked things up a gear after the restart, and they could have doubled their lead when Benrahma went for goal on the edge of the Pirates’ box. The Algerian, however, misplaced his effort, floating it well wide of the target. It took a while for Orlando Pirates to conjure up their own first chance of the half, and it arrived through a scrap outside the opposition box where Radiopane latched onto a loose ball before blasting it wide.
They continued to toil for their equalizer and were presented a chance via a free kick placed at an angle similar to where they conceded in the first half. Mbatha could not emulate the result of the earlier set piece, however as he failed to keep his shot down.
Frustration continued well into the game’s dying moments for the Buccaneers, who couldn’t find a way past the Falcons’ defense. They had a last-gasp attempt through midfielder Abdoulaye Mariko, but the Malian was unable to find the target with a desperate effort from a long way out.
It summed up a challenging evening for Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men, whose European tour ended with two wins and as many defeats plus a solitary stalemate. They now head back home to complete the finishing touches of their preparations ahead of the start of the 2026/27 season, which kicks off with a home Betway Premiership encounter against top-flight newcomers Milford on Saturday, 1 August.
Pirates XI: Chaine, Seema, Sibisi, Sebelebele (Zulu 68’), Hotto (Ndaba 50’), Nduli (Dansin 68’), Mbatha (Mariko 68’), Maswanganyi, Appollis (Ngwato 62’), Moremi, Radiopane (Makgopa 68’).
