Orlando Pirates vs Chippa United 2025 delivered a clear message from the Buccaneers, a crisp and controlled 3-0 victory at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium that lifted them to fifth place and extended a resurgence that now reads three league wins in a row after two early setbacks.
This was not just a routine away win, it was a performance defined by clarity and purpose. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou set the tone with an insistence on early purpose, and his players responded with the kind of front-foot football that squeezes errors and tilts matches quickly.
Key moments in Gqeberha
Pirates were on the front foot from the first minute, with Stanley Nwabali forced into an early save from an Oswin Appollis cross-cum-shot. That set the rhythm, the visitors kept the ball with authority and hunted in packs when it was time to press.
The opener arrived in the 10th minute and it came from pressure, Nwabali tried to play through the middle, Kamogelo Sebelebele pounced, Evidence Makgopa slipped in Patrick Maswanganyi, and the finish was calm and low past the goalkeeper.
Chippa United never settled under the press and another nervous moment soon followed, Maswanganyi was denied a quick-fire second by a sharp Nwabali save as the hosts teetered. The pattern held to the break and it told again just before halftime.
The second goal in the 42nd minute again came from an error, Sirgio Kammies misplaced a pass, Appollis intercepted and slid in Deon Hotto, and the Namibian winger lashed home to give Pirates a commanding cushion.
Appollis shines in a complete wide display
Oswin Appollis was electric on the flank, he assisted two goals, struck the base of the post with a fierce effort from the edge of the box, and fully earned the Man of the Match award. He also credited the game plan that put Chippa on the back foot.
“Thank you to the coach for telling us we had to press them. One or two of our goals came from pressing them in their own half. I am happy I received Man-of-the-Match but I have to give credit to my teammates.”
Appollis also saluted the travelling and local support that filled the stands in Port Elizabeth, also known as Gqeberha. “Thanks to Gqeberha for coming out in numbers”, he said, a nod to the energy that seemed to fuel every sprint and every defensive recovery.
Control with a sting and a demand for more
For large stretches Pirates owned possession and space. Ouaddou praised how his team connected in tight pockets and found runners between the lines, the perfect blend of patience and penetration.
“I think we achieved the performance that we wanted to achieve. It was very important for us to come here today and to take all three points.”
The coach then pulled back the curtain on the target to start fast, and the reason was tactical and psychological. “Our target was to score early”, he said, and through sharp passing and pressing, Pirates did exactly that.
Even as the scoreline swelled, Ouaddou’s standards remained uncompromising. He celebrated the three points, then challenged his side to be even more ruthless when momentum is theirs.
“I want to be pragmatic. There are some games that you have to kill off. You have to score four or five goals, because all these goals could be very important at the end of the season.”
His post-match message also focused on the closing stages. “In the last 20 minutes I don’t like sterile possession, I want go forward”, he told SuperSport TV, underscoring a demand for verticality right to the final whistle.
Penalty drama and a first Pirates goal for Moremi
Three minutes into the second half, Evidence Makgopa won a penalty that offered a chance to end the contest on the spot. Maswanganyi took responsibility but Nwabali guessed right and saved, a moment of defiance that briefly kept a flicker of hope alive for Chippa.
Pirates did not flinch, they restored the surge and found a third through substitute Tshepang Moremi, who finished low after another incisive contribution from Appollis. It was Moremi’s first goal for the club, a milestone that capped a mature team display.
Lebitso’s return and the value of a full squad
There was a human heartbeat in this win too. Thabiso Lebitso made a welcome return to the starting line-up after a long injury absence, and against his former club he produced a strong performance.
Ouaddou highlighted the work done behind the scenes that made that return possible. He applauded the medical and performance staff for guiding Lebitso back to fitness, a reminder that every matchday spark is lit by weeks of rehab and routine.
Eymael’s candid verdict from the Chippa side
On the opposite bench, new Chippa coach Eymael faced a tough first assignment. It was Chippa’s fourth consecutive defeat, and the manner of the goals against stung most of all.
“We gave away another silly goal after a few minutes. Unfortunately, we did the same against Richards Bay and it completely changes the game. When you are in the position that we are in now, and you give away a gift like that, it’s Christmas before Christmas.”
He was frank about what comes next. “There’s a lot of work to do”, he admitted, citing tactical corrections as a priority to lift the Chilli Boys from the bottom of the table.
Why this win mattered in the bigger picture
The table told a story even before kick-off. Ouaddou called it a six-point game after wins for Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and early front-runners Sekhukhune United, a reminder that margins are thin when rivals keep collecting maximums.
The result moved Pirates from ninth to fifth, and it felt like a statement that the early-season wobble is behind them. Three league wins on the bounce have given shape to their campaign, and performances like this one add belief to the dressing room and noise to the stands.
How Pirates imposed themselves
The Buccaneers married proactive pressing with purposeful possession. They squeezed Chippa’s build-up, forced mistakes in dangerous zones, and when the game slowed they found passes into the half-spaces to create clean looks at goal.
That blend showed up in the details, the first goal arrived from a turnover inside the Chippa shape, the second from reading and pouncing on an errant pass, and the third from a substitute finishing off a well-timed move. It was control with consequence, the kind of balance that makes a contender travel well.
What they said in their own words
“We want to be very close and to reach the top of the table, and so it was very important.”
“It was a vital three points, everyone fought on the pitch and we are very happy.”
“So, congratulations to my boys but in the last 20 minutes I don’t like sterile possession.”
Takeaways from a one-sided contest
- Pirates pressed high with conviction, their structure created repeated errors,
- key players delivered under pressure, Appollis, Maswanganyi, Hotto and Moremi all left their mark,
- the standard has been set.
What comes next for both clubs
For Pirates, the stakes escalate again. Their next outing is the MTN8 final on 13 September, a showcase opportunity to turn momentum into silverware and to meet Ouaddou’s call for clinical finishing on an even bigger stage.
After the international break, Pirates return to Betway Premiership duty at home to Magesi FC on Sunday 17 September. The demand will be the same, start fast, sustain pressure, and convert dominance into a growing points tally.
For Chippa, the task is about clarity and resilience under a new coach. Cutting out the cheap concessions is the first checkpoint, because as Eymael said, giving gifts at this level quickly unravels any tactical plan.
The human story behind the scoreline
This match carried more than numbers. It held the smile of a coach who sees his plan taking root, the roar of a winger thanking a city for its backing, the return of a fullback who has quietly fought through rehab to stand tall again.
It also held the frustration of a new coach watching a game tilt on early errors, and the resolve that follows a tough lesson. Football rarely moves in straight lines, but days like this trace a clear direction of travel for a team that is starting to trust itself.
Final whistle view
Pirates were superior in every department, sharper in thought and deed, and their 3-0 triumph at Chippa United was a fair reflection of play. The ambition is obvious, Ouaddou wants goals and growth, the players are responding, and the fans in Gqeberha felt that connection.
If they keep this tempo, if they keep this focus, the early season stumble will be remembered not as a setback but as a spark. For now, the scoreboard reads clean and convincing, and the performance matches the score.
