Pirates End Pre-Season Tour With Defeat

Orlando Pirates ended their pre-season tour in Spain with a 1-0 loss to Neom SC on Friday night.

Club Friendly 

Result: Orlando Pirates 0-1 Noem SC

Date: 24 July 2026

Venue: Marbella Football Center

Boitumelo Radiopane was rewarded with a start after scoring the winning goal against Las Palmas on Wednesday evening, while all the first-time regulars were recalled after being rested in the last clash.

The Buccaneers looked a little shaky on the ball, which has been common theme in their pre-season matches so far and they nearly suffered on 10 minutes when Thalente Mbatha lost the ball near his own box, but Noem were unable to profit.

The Saudi Arabian club did find the breakthrough in the 30th minute when Algerian midfielder Saïd Benrahma went for goal from a set-piece and caught out Sipho Chaine at his near post with a clever effort.

The Soweto giants were not out of the contest by any means, but they were unable to take advantage of any of their ventures into the Neom half, with the goalkeeper barely being threatened throughout the opening 45 minutes.

The Buccaneers managed to carve out an opening ten minutes into the second period with the ball falling kindly for Radiopane in the box, however the young striker sent his first-time effort wide of the upright as frustration began to grow.

That proved to be Radiopane’s final involvement as he was brought off on 68 minutes for Evidence Makgopa while coach Abdeslam Ouaddou also brought in Sbangani Zulu, Camren Dansin and Abdoulaye Mariko for the final 20 minutes of the contest.

Despite all the changes, the South African league champions were unable to carve out another clear-cut opening in the second half although Neom didn’t have any joy at the other end either, as the encounter finished 1-0 to the Saudi outfit.

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