Orlando Pirates kicked off their title defense for the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season with an impressive 2-0 win against newly promoted Milford FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday.
Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi found the back of the net, earning all three points for the Soweto side in their opening match of the season.
The defending champions began the campaign without key player Relebohile Mofokeng, who made a move to Belgian side Royal Union Saint-Gilloise during the transfer window.
Pirates started energetically, proving too formidable for Milford, who were making their premier league debut.
The home team generated several early chances, controlling possession and applying pressure on Milford as they sought an opening goal.
Milford nearly took the lead in the 19th minute when Cebolenkosi Mthethwa unleashed a powerful long-range shot, but Sipho Chaine was quick to make a brilliant save.
Just four minutes later, Pirates broke the stalemate, with Appollis converting a deflected free-kick into the bottom-right corner, becoming the first goalscorer of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season.
As the first half wore on, Milford struggled to cope with Pirates’ relentless attacking efforts. The Buccaneers pressed for a second goal, but the visitors managed to keep the scoreline close.
Towards the end of the half, Milford began to find their footing as they sought an equalizer, but Pirates’ composure kept them in command.
The home team went into halftime with a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
Both teams returned for the second half intent on creating scoring opportunities.
Deon Hotto came perilously close to doubling Pirates’ lead in the 61st minute, but his shot was expertly parried away by the Milford goalkeeper.
Milford had a chance to equalize seven minutes later when Sicelo Masilela found himself in a one-on-one situation with Chaine but unfortunately shot wide.
Moremi almost put the game away in the 78th minute, beating his defender and sending a shot from inside the penalty area, only for the goalkeeper to produce another remarkable save.
However, Moremi sealed the victory just six minutes later. He rounded goalkeeper Sphamandla Hleza and calmly slotted the ball into an empty net, confirming a 2-0 win for the reigning champions in front of their home fans at the Orlando Amstel Arena.
Although Milford displayed flashes of promise in their Betway Premiership debut, the superior quality and experience of Pirates made the ultimate difference, enabling them to commence their title defense with a flawless record.
