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South African soccer fans have major reasons to celebrate! Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, the country’s two biggest teams, both successfully moved on to the next round of their African club tournaments. These victories prove that South African clubs are truly making their mark on the continent.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Kaizer Chiefs faced a tough team from Angola, Kabuscorp SCP. In the second match, played at FNB Stadium, Chiefs won 1–0 thanks to a goal scored by Glody Lilepo. However, when you add the scores from both matches together, the final score was a 1–1 tie.
Because the aggregate score was tied, the teams had to settle the match with a penalty shootout. Chiefs stayed calm under pressure and won the penalties 5–4. Goalkeeper Brandon Petersen became the hero by making a crucial save to secure the victory.
This win sends Chiefs into the Second Preliminary Round of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup. Their next opponent will be the winner of the match between AS Simba (DR Congo) and Djabal d’Iconi (Comoros). Chiefs played with real fighting spirit: they kept creating chances, kept pushing forward, and refused to give up.
In the CAF Champions League, Orlando Pirates completely dominated Lioli FC from Lesotho. Pirates were already leading the tie, having won the first match 3–0. In the second match, played at Orlando Stadium, the Pirates were even better, winning a massive 4–0.
This means their total victory across both matches was an impressive 7–0!
A huge star in the second match was winger Tshepang Moremi, who scored two goals. Pirates’ coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, was full of praise, saying his players showed great intelligence and control on the field. Pirates will now wait to face the winner of the tie between Sudan’s Al-Merreikh and DR Congo’s St Eloi Lupopo.
At home, Pirates are also champions. They recently became the first team ever to win the MTN8 tournament four times in a row! Their success both at home and in Africa has many fans believing they can go very far in the Champions League this year.
Orlando Pirates made history back in 1995 when they won the African Champions Cup (which is now the CAF Champions League), making them the first South African club to ever win that major title. They have also appeared in more CAF finals than any other South African team. Kaizer Chiefs is a giant in local soccer and is eager to prove they belong on the continental stage too.
The success of both Soweto giants in these recent matches is a huge boost for South African soccer’s reputation in Africa. Every win improves their ranking and brings more respect to the country’s league.
