Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou insists dropping star midfielder Oswin Appollis was a deliberate tactical strategy aimed at turning the second half against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Behind his star performance and opening goal in Durban, Teboho Mokoena reveals the profound grief and family turmoil he masked to help Mamelodi Sundowns dethrone Orlando Pirates.

Orlando Pirates were unable to make it five MTN8 titles in a row on Saturday as they lost 2-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. We look at how the Buccaneers’ players rated in an underwhelming performance overall from Abdeslam Ouaddou’s side. Orlando Pirates player ratings Sipho Chaine 8/10 The Pirates goalkeeper made a series of outstanding saves in the first half to keep his side in the match. Unlucky to be on the losing side. Kamogelo Sebelebele 6 Sebelebele couldn’t really get forward and affect the game in the first half. Was unlucky to be forced off with a first half injury. Nkosinathi Sibisi 7 Orlando Pirates’ experienced centre back made a host of vital interventions to keep the scoreline respectable. Lebone Seema 5 Seema didn’t have one of his best games in defence. He was caught out by Thabang Matuludi’s flick for Mokoena’s opener. Deon Hotto 6 Hotto had an effective game as a left wing back, getting forward to good effect, but was unable to provide a killer pass or an equaliser for his side. Thapelo Mokobodi 6 Mokobodi was a bit overrun at times in midfield, but he was desperately unlucky to have a penalty awarded against him after a poor decision from referee Abongile Tom. Simphiwe Selepe 5 Selepe didn’t have much influence on the game and was one of the poorer Pirates players on show in Durban. Thalente Mbatha 6 Mbatha was caught on the ball early on by Brayan Leon and Sundowns should have doubled their lead. He hit one shot into the side netting but was not his usually dominant self. Gamphani Lungu 6 Lungu was Pirates’ most threatening attacker and had one first half effort well saved by Ronwen Williams. Williams then denied Lungu from the penalty spot in the second half. Yanela Mbuthuma 7 Mbuthuma led the line quite well for Pirates, but remains frustratingly inconsistent in front of goal. He did well to used his strength and win a second half penality for his team. Tshepang Moremi 6 Moremi was another Pirates player who didn’t play up to his usual standards. Try as he might, the Bafana man couldn’t really influence the game. Pirates substitutes Oswin Appollis 6 It was a surprise that Appollis did not start the final, though he did come off the bench for Sebelebele at half time. He did set up Lungu with one brilliant pass but generally failed to affect the game. Kabelo Kgositsile 5 Came off the bench as part of a triple substitution in the 74th minute but didn’t really make an impression. Simphiwe Masilela 7 Came off the bench with Kgositsile and Evidence Makgopa and very nearly scored with a brilliant run and shot that went inches wide. Evidence Makgopa 5 Like Kgositsile, couldn’t really influence the game when he came on. Mohau Nkota Only came on for the last eight minutes so impossible to rate.

Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned MTN8 champions following a 2-0 victory over Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night. Teboho Mokoena and Iqraam Rayners were on target as the Brazilians lifted the season-opening competition after an entertaining encounter in Durban. Mamelodi Sundowns Player Ratings: Ronwen Williams – 8/10 Williams delivered when his team needed him most in a frantic opening 45 minutes. He also denied Ghampani Lungu from the penalty spot on the hour mark, producing a crucial save to keep his side in front. Thabang Matuludi – 6 Matuludi looked comfortable on the ball and was rarely troubled at right-back. Making only his second start in Sundowns colours, wasn’t caught out at the back, with much of Pirates’ attacking threat not coming down his flank. Khulumani Ndamane – 5 Ndamane showed commitment in his individual battles and was not afraid to get stuck in. However, he looked less assured than the final scoreline might suggest, with Pirates finding opportunities to trouble the Sundowns defence. Malibongwe Khoza – 6 Khoza endured a challenging evening alongside Ndamane in central defence. The pair could have been punished had Pirates been more clinical in front of goal, leaving both defenders somewhat fortunate to escape without greater scrutiny. Thapelo Morena – 5 Morena endured a quiet night and missed a golden opportunity in the first half. The experienced wing-back struggled to make an impact after that early miss and offered little going forward. Aubrey Modiba – 5 Modiba struggled to influence proceedings at either end of the pitch. His contribution in attack was limited, while he also failed to make a significant impact defensively. Miguel Cardoso’s decision to withdraw him at half-time, particularly after his first-half booking, came as little surprise. Teboho Mokoena – 7 Mokoena did not appear to be at full fitness after returning from international duty with Bafana Bafana carrying an injury. Nevertheless, the midfielder used his experience to make a valuable contribution. Although he lacked his usual freedom of movement, he put in a solid shift to help Sundowns get over the line. Nuno Santos – 5 Santos failed to reach the heights expected of him after his impressive brace in Sundowns’ 2-1 victory over Al-Ahli Saudi in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup last month. The Portuguese attacker struggled to make a telling impact and was relatively quiet throughout the final. Marcelo Allende – 6 Allende looked comfortable dictating play from deep but offered little attacking threat in the final third. Despite his limited contribution going forward, the Chilean midfielder worked hard and delivered a solid performance in the MTN8 decider. Brayan León – 5 It was a frustrating evening for León who struggled to make his presence felt in attack. The Colombian striker was indecisive in several promising situations and missed a golden opportunity late in the second half before being substituted with eight minutes remaining. Tashreeq Matthews – 5 Matthews was guilty of poor decision-making when Sundowns broke forward into promising positions, and greater composure in the final third could have helped his team put the game beyond Pirates’ reach earlier. Sundowns Substitutes Divine Lunga – 6 Lunga offered little in attack but was dependable defensively. He played an important role in helping Sundowns keep Pirates at bay during his time on the pitch. Iqraam Rayners – 6 Rayners made his presence felt by converting the penalty in injury time. Beyond that decisive contribution, the striker had little opportunity to influence the game during his brief 12-minute appearance. Siyanda Ndlovu – 6 Ndlovu brought energy after coming off the bench and made an immediate impact by winning a late penalty. Introduced with eight minutes of regulation time remaining, he looked lively and gave the Sundowns attack a lift. Thabo Cele – 5 Cele struggled to get involved after replacing Santos with 22 minutes remaining. He often found himself chasing the game without the ball but worked hard defensively and helped cover for Mokoena when the midfielder was unable to track back.

Dricus du Plessis and Vasti Spiller are officially husband and wife! The couple tied the knot in a picturesque wedding in the Western Cape on Saturday, 10 October. The MMA fighter and his boxing coach partner have been dating since 2023. FIRST LOOK: DRICUS DU PLESSIS AND VASTI SPILLER WEDDING On her Instagram Stories, Vasti Spiller has shared a first look at her wedding day to Dricus du Plessis. The couple wed at a picturesque venue in Paarl in the Western Cape. Vasti wore a custom Anel Botha creation during the ceremony, while Dricus wore a crisp black tuxedo. The blonde bride changed into an Amara Bespoke gown, adorned with sequins and pearls, for the reception, and her husband donned a cream blazer to match her. The wedding was attended by the couple’s close family and friends, with entertainment including the likes of Bobby van Jaarsveld and Ricus Nel. Take a look at the first images from the day… Inside Dricus du Plessis and Vasti Spiller’s wedding day.Images via IG PRAISE FOR ‘UNDERSTANDING PARTNER’ Dricus du Plessis and Vasti Spiller met at the CIT Boxing in Hatfield, Pretoria, in 2023, where he trained, and she worked as a boxing coach.  They crossed paths after Vasti pursued boxing coaching a year earlier. Fast forward to 2025, Dricus and Vasti announced their engagement. Speaking to KFM about their relationship, the former UFC World Champion praised his partner for being supportive and empathetic to his career. He said: “I kind of feel sorry for her because it’s like she’s dating two different human beings… when a fight comes around, it’s such a selfish sport and everything needs to go around this fight, and what needs to happen for me, so everything else takes a backseat – family, friends, everything. “Because you have to give it your all, and it’s amazing to have a partner understanding all of that.”

Pastor Curt van Heerden’s comments chastising Roosevelt High School principal Cristèl Venter, who likened her actions in shutting down a Matric Dance disaster event to that of Adolf Hitler, have been met with strong resistance from the public. The Johannesburg school has come under fire after Venter’s viral open letter condemning a handful of Grade 12 learners for underage drinking, drug use, and a firearm incident at the event, which took place at Avianto Hotel in Muldersdrift. ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL: PRINCIPAL QUESTIONED OVER ‘HITLER COMPARISON’ In a Facebook post, Pastor Curt van Heerden called for Roosevelt High School to refund ticket sales after principal Cristèl Venter shut down the Matric Dance early due to allegations of learner misconduct. Van Heerden, a social media community activist, supported his argument by quoting Avianto Hotel, which claimed that Venter had decided to cut the event short. The venue also disputed allegations that learners were served alcohol, damaged property or that a firearm incident involved minors.  He also quoted several parents and learners, who were left disappointed and frustrated at the sequence of events. The preacher and social media influencer also chastised Venter over a screenshot of her WhatsApp status comparing herself to German dictator Adolf Hitler. The status, which came after the principal learned of the Matric Dance fiasco, read: “I am an extremely embarrassed principal, when parents pull firearms at the poor Avianto staff and Grad 12 learners pitch up drink as can be and vomit all over the bathroom “Stick a fork in me, I am done. This will be the last one. Class of 2026, can you be any bigger of a disappointment? Your marks are horrendous, and then you can’t even behave. Venter added the hashtag “#Hitlerloading” Curt van Heerden claimed that the hashtag hinted at racial undertones. He asked: “Why would the principal of Roosevelt High School – who is white – put this on her status? What was she trying to say?” PUBLIC DEFENDS PRINCIPAL Curt van Heerden’s insinuation was met with opposition from many of his followers, who disagreed with his sentiment in the comment section.  Here’s what a few had to say… Angelo Major: The hashtag was not intended to be racist. In my opinion, she was saying she would need to be ruthless in her actions, like Hitler was in his actions, in order to take control of the sh!t show that was going on. While the reference to Hitler is completely inappropriate, let’s not make this about a white woman being racist. This is about kids getting out of hand and the unfortunate reality that the consequences affected everyone” Maxine Cero Louw: “I stand with the principal. Not everything has to be an issue. Things should not be taken out of context. Great job, principal” Estelle Kriek Venter: “Why do you stand up for those children? This is why they behave so badly: no accountability. That woman teaches them a life lesson about consequences. Stop vilifying her”. WHAT HAPPENED AT ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL’S MATRIC DANCE? In a lengthy open letter posted on the school’s official Facebook page last week, Roosevelt High School principal Cristèl Venter expressed her shock and disappointment at the behaviour of some learners who attended the Matric Dance at the Avianto Hotel in Muldersdrift. Venter had initially skipped the event due to illness, but had been called in to intervene after things took a turn for the worse. Venter revealed that learners had arrived under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and that one particular entourage had threatened staff with firearms during their rowdy procession and reckless driving into the venue. Intoxicated learners reportedly became violently ill, vomiting all over the five-star venue. The principal decided to cut short the Matric Dance in a bid to de-escalate the deteriorating situation, but was met with contempt and verbal abuse from parents, who angrily confronted school staff. Venter vowed to launch an investigation into the incident and hold a disciplinary hearing for those involved.  A few days later, podcaster Penuel Mlotshwa addressed the school learners, urging them to exercise responsibility and accountability. When approached for comment, principal Cristèl Venter stated that she was not authorised to speak to the media.  The school has since disabled its social media platforms.

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