Back on top! Orlando Pirates end 14-year wait for Betway Premiership glory

The Buccaneers came into the match knowing that nothing less than a win would be enough to end nine years of Sundowns dominance and reinstate them as league champions, and while the victory was far from conventional, it was more than comfortable in the end.

The win over Orbit College was the 21st of their campaign, a new record for Pirates in the PSL, and took them to 69 points - no less than they needed to edge one point clear of Sundowns.

It also marks their third major trophy of the season, following their MTN8 and Carling Knockout triumphs.

For Orbit College, it was a disastrous result, one that guaranteed their relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship as they ended up with the PSL's wooden spoon.

In a match that carried huge stakes for both sides, Pirates produced a dominant but at times wasteful performance before ultimately benefiting from two costly Orbit College errors that swung the contest decisively in their favour.

The visitors controlled proceedings from the outset, pinning Orbit College deep and enjoying long spells of possession, at one stage holding over 70 percent of the ball - though clear chances were initially limited.

Orbit's resistance held until first-half stoppage time, when the breakthrough arrived in chaotic fashion. A corner from Moremi caused confusion in the box, and goalkeeper Nkomo, attempting to punch clear, instead diverted the ball into his own net, handing Pirates a crucial lead going into the interval.

After the break, Pirates maintained control and continued to probe, with Maswanganyi, Appollis and Mofokeng all heavily involved in attacking sequences.

The decisive moment came in the 49th minute when Orbit College's defensive woes deepened. Under pressure in their own area, Ngiba inadvertently chipped the ball into his own net while attempting to clear, as things went from bad to worse for the Mswenko Boys.

From there, Pirates managed the game professionally, controlling possession and shutting down any late Orbit attempts to rally, while a string of defensive substitutions from coach Abdeslam Ouaddou helped them control the tempo.

In the end, the Buccaneers cruised home to a deserved league title 14-years in the making. As the final whistle blew, coach Ouaddou embraced his assistants in a moment of joy and relief, while the players erupted in celebration as newly crowned champions.

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