Orlando Pirates Conclude Season with Draw as Captain Maela Retires

Orlando Pirates concluded their 2024/25 season with a 1-1 draw against Magesi at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday evening. The match marked the farewell of captain Innocent Maela, who is transitioning to a non-playing role at the age of 32.

In a game with little at stake, given Pirates secured second place and Magesi’s safety from relegation, Patrick Maswanganyi opened the scoring for the Pirates in the seventh minute. However, Magesi, under coach Owen da Gama, equalized before halftime through Edmore Chirambadare and maintained the scoreline to finish their season with 31 points.

Pirates ended their league campaign with 61 points despite playing two fewer matches due to Royal AM’s expulsion from the league. They equaled their best points tally from previous seasons but fell short of setting a new record. The team secured qualification for the CAF Champions League for the third consecutive year but finished 12 points behind league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.