LIVE | CAF Champions League: Orlando Pirates vs La Cure Waves

Orlando Pirates face a defining afternoon in their CAF Champions League campaign when they welcome La Cure Waves to the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, 12 September. ipltable.lol

The Buccaneers and their Mauritian opponents played to a goalless draw in the first leg in Port Louis, leaving everything to be decided in Soweto.

For Orlando Pirates, the equation is simple: win and they advance to the next round.

Home ground advantage

The Buccaneers will be looking to make home advantage count after being frustrated by a disciplined La Cure Waves defence in the opening encounter.

The Mauritian champions held firm under sustained pressure and will arrive in Soweto knowing that another resolute defensive performance could put them within touching distance of a historic progression.

Orlando Pirates, however, have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the season and have been particularly strong at home.

They will hope that their familiarity with the Orlando Amstel Arena, combined with the backing of the Soweto faithful, can provide the difference.

Abdeslam Ouaddou’s side will also be wary of allowing the visitors to score, with a scoring draw potentially putting La Cure Waves in a favourable position.

Another opportunity

The Orlando Pirates coach admitted his side had wanted to return from Mauritius with a goal but believes the home leg provides another opportunity to get the job done.

“We had the first half in Mauritius. We went there to get a result and at least score a goal. We didn’t, but have a chance here at home to go through to the next stage.”

La Cure Waves coach Jerome Thomas, meanwhile, acknowledged the size of the challenge awaiting his team.

“It’s football, and anything can happen. We realise it will be extremely difficult. We are up against an African giant playing on home turf, in a stadium that holds thousands of fans.”

Boost

Orlando Pirates have also received a boost in their squad, with academy product Bheki Mabuza returning permanently from Marumo Gallants and already training with the team.

Club captain Nkosinathi Sibisi could also return after missing the last three matches, while Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa continue their respective recoveries.

Mohau Nkota remains sidelined as he works his way back from injury.

With the tie delicately poised at 0-0, there is little room for error for either side.

Orlando Pirates vs La Cure Waves kicks off at 15:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL and SABC 2.

Prediction

Orlando Pirates to win

To understand how a broadcaster and host can seamlessly command the world’s most glamorous sporting stages, from the electric, high-stakes atmosphere of the US Open courts to the sun-drenched arenas of the BNP Paribas Open, you must first step back to an impoverished context in Zambia.

Born in England, Kondo Simfukwe spent his pivotal childhood years in Zambia, immersed in an environment that, while economically restricted, laid down a profound human foundation that continues to guide his trajectory across the globe.

Communal interdependence

For Kondo Simfukwe, growing up in a socio-economically challenged setting was never defined by deprivation or despair.

Instead, it was shaped by an organic, deeply baked sense of communal interdependence.

“It was beautiful in that we didn’t necessarily always realise that we were growing up in an impoverished context,” he reflects.

“So, I would say because of that, two things are very significant. One is the sense of community, the sense of valuing others because suddenly, for all of us to thrive, we all needed each other. What’s mine is yours, what’s yours is mine, and as one goes, so do we all. We need each other, we help each other, we survive and thrive together.”

In this setting, collaboration, camaraderie, and mutual reliance were not calculated strategies; they were the essential, everyday mechanics of human existence.

Alongside this spirit of shared living came an enduring posture of gratitude – one that operates as a safeguard against the entitlement that so often permeates modern sports culture.

When material abundance is absent, entitlement simply cannot take root.

Value system

“When you don’t have much, you don’t lay claim to much, you don’t feel entitled to much, you don’t feel owed much, you don’t feel as though comparison is the key to life or joy,” Kondo Simfukwe explains.

“So, something happens where everything you get, you feel grateful for. With a base of ‘we need each other’ and a base of ‘we don’t have much, so everything we receive feels like a bonus, feels like a gift,’ say thank you, and then figure out who you can also bring along.”

“My value for others, my perspective about other people: I’m no better than you, you’re no better than me. I value you immensely because you carry innate value.”

This innate value system leads to striking moments of clarity when Kondo interacts with world-class athletes today.

Deeply respectful

Recalling an on-court interview at a major tournament with young Filipina tennis prodigy Alex Eala, Kondo posed a question about the refreshing, deeply respectful way she treats everyone around her.

Eala’s response was one of pure, unpretentious confusion: “Outstanding? Isn’t that normal, sir? People are valuable, aren’t they?”

For Kondo Simfukwe, Eala’s candid reaction was a moment of profound alignment, a poignant recognition of an uncorrupted ethos where human dignity is assumed rather than earned through rankings, prize money, or media fanfare.

It reaffirmed that the foundational lessons absorbed in Zambia are not merely survival mechanisms for the underprivileged, but universal principles capable of grounding anyone operating under the glaring lights of global superstardom.

What’s Next: Part II shifts to Kondo’s teenage relocation to Australia, where his worldview was radically expanded through exposure to vibrant multiculturalism, forcing him to master the art of the “cultural chameleon” while discovering sports as a tool for connection.

Dave Marshall is reporting exclusively from the 2026 US Open in New York for The South African.

The Springboks are geared up and ready to face a more experienced and battle-hardened All Blacks team in the finale of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA on Saturday (kick-off 11:10pm SA time).

With the Boks taking a 2-1 lead into the series decider, the All Blacks have rung the changes for the final game in an effort to draw the series, with eight made to the starting 15 that played in Soweto over the past weekend, with some other changes injury forced.

Although they suffered a major blow in losing talismanic 112-cap skipper Ardie Savea for the finale, they have loaded up with experienced winners in other departments to make up for that loss, and to hopefully give them an edge over the Boks.

Coming in at hooker and as captain is 111-capped Codie Taylor for the 25-capped Asafo Amua, while the 93-capped Anton Lienert-Brown replaces the injured 29-capped Quinn Tupaea in the midfield.

Mo’unga back

Veteran 56-capped flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, who hasn’t played for the All Blacks since the 2023 World Cup final after continuing his club career in Japan over the last three years, is back and replaces the 10-capped Ruben Love.

On the bench the All Blacks have also brought in the 144-capped Beauden Barrett and 88-capped Rieko Ioane, who they will be able to call upon at any stage of the match.

Speaking on Friday ahead of the match, Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick admitted that they were expecting an extremely tough challenge from the All Blacks, especially with the inclusion of Mo’unga and other experienced players across their side.

“We know Richie Mo’unga is world-class. As the coaching staff, we expected that selection. Even Ruben Love, the way he’s been playing as an upcoming star, he’s been great for the All Blacks,” said Stick.

“They will be even more bold tomorrow when it comes to keeping the ball alive and trying to use the space in the wider channels, and we know how dangerous he (Mo’unga) is. We’ve played against him many times, and we’ve done our homework.

“The key thing for us is that we enforce our game onto them and ensure that we pitch up physically on the day. We’ve seen in the past three games that if you’re not at your best, they’ve got what it takes to punish you because of the quality of players in their team.

“If you look at the outside centre position, they have a guy like Anton Leinert-Brown with his experience. It is a world-class team, we know they’re desperate to level the series, but in the same breath we want to make sure that we keep on making our people back at home proud, so we’ll give our best.”

Strong finish

With this the first traditional Test series between the two nations since 1996, Stick said that their was no tougher Test, other than the business end of a World Cup campaign, and added that the Boks just hoped to finish off strong.

“In my experience, it doesn’t get tougher than this. It’s like playing four World Cup finals in four weeks,” claimed Stick.

“We’ve seen how close the games we’ve played so far have been. Both teams are trying to enforce their style of play. You can see the All Blacks don’t play hide and seek in terms of how they want to play. That’s something I enjoy.

“We might be leading (the series) 2-1, but we know on the flipside they are desperate to level it. We just want to ensure we finish properly.”

Cette semaine, le Brief de Jeune Afrique revient sur les retrouvailles entre Simone Ehivet Gbagbo et Laurent Gbagbo en Côte d’Ivoire, dévoile de nouvelles informations sur la mutinerie qui a fait vaciller le régime d’Abdourahamane Tiani au Niger, décrypte le discours de politique générale du Premier ministre sénégalais, analyse les zones d’ombre de la crise de Ceuta entre le Maroc et l’Espagne et s’interroge sur l’avenir des compagnies aériennes africaines face aux grands hubs étrangers.

La Meinau s’apprête à accueillir une affiche particulièrement prometteuse. Sur une dynamique offensive impressionnante, Strasbourg reçoit ce samedi l’AS Monaco, leader de Ligue 1 et seule équipe à avoir remporté ses trois premières rencontres. Entre des Alsaciens capables de faire exploser n’importe quelle défense et des Monégasques lancés à pleine vitesse, tous les ingrédients sont réunis pour un rendez-vous animé.

Strasbourg veut prolonger son festival offensif

Le Racing arrive avec une confiance maximale après sa démonstration contre Troyes (6-2). Jacobo Ortega, Diogo Sousa et Giovanni Reyna avaient lancé les hostilités, avant que Samuel Amo-Ameyaw ne frappe deux fois rapidement et que Conrad Harder ne parachève le festival. Une prestation qui confirme les ambitions offensives d’une équipe également portée par un public dont Hugo Oliveira souligne régulièrement l’importance.

L’entraîneur strasbourgeois sait toutefois que le défi sera d’une tout autre dimension face à Monaco. Le club alsacien devra cette fois se montrer aussi efficace dans les zones défensives pour contenir une formation monégasque qui reste sur un succès de prestige face au PSG.

Monaco veut conserver les commandes

Les hommes de la Principauté ont marqué les esprits lors de la dernière journée en dominant le PSG (2-1). Flavio Nazinho et Stanis Idumbo ont offert aux Monégasques une troisième victoire consécutive, synonyme de première place au classement. Avec neuf points sur neuf possibles, Monaco arrive donc à la Meinau avec le statut de leader et l’ambition de poursuivre son sans-faute.

Mais Strasbourg n’a rien d’un adversaire à prendre à la légère. Après son carton offensif, le Racing voudra profiter de l’ambiance de la Meinau pour faire tomber, à son tour, une équipe encore invaincue. Strasbourg-Monaco se disputera ce samedi 12 septembre à 17h15 au stade de la Meinau et sera à suivre en direct sur Ligue 1+ 2, également accessible via DAZN et Prime Video.

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