Orlando Pirates Suffer Double Injury Blow Ahead of AFCON Campaign
Orlando Pirates have been hit by a double injury blow that cuts straight through the spine of Abdeslam Ouaddou’s team – and threatens to spill over into Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Mbatha facing lengthy layoff
Midfield workhorse Thalente Mbatha is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after a knee injury that has worsened despite his involvement in Pirates’ first two matches of the season. Medical advice is clear: the 26-year-old needs surgery.
The exact diagnosis remains under wraps and there is no confirmed timeline for his return, but the expectation around the club is grim. Mbatha is likely to miss a significant chunk of the season, a setback that hurts Pirates’ engine room and potentially South Africa’s AFCON qualifying push.
He has become a key figure in Ouaddou’s midfield structure, a reliable presence who links play and sets the tempo. Losing that, just as the campaign starts to gather pace, is a major disruption – even for a squad as deep as Pirates’.
Makgopa also out – but no surgery
As if that wasn’t enough, the Mbatha news dropped barely a day after iDiski Times revealed that Evidence Makgopa played through a knee problem at the World Cup and now needs two months of rest.
The Bafana Bafana striker will not go under the knife, but the damage is done in another way. The 26-year-old is expected to miss the opening months of the Buccaneers’ 2026/27 season and is also set to sit out South Africa’s 2026 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September.
For club and country, that is a major hole at centre-forward.
Pressure on Pedersen – and a coach’s warning
All of this turns the spotlight sharply onto new signing Sebastian Pedersen. The Norwegian arrived in the country last week, and suddenly the bedding-in period looks very short.
Ouaddou has already fired a warning shot at his current forwards. After the MTN8 win over Durban City, he did not hide his frustration, saying: “I need my strikers to wake up quickly and help the team.”
The message was clear. The standards must rise – and fast.
So the sight of Pedersen in training on Monday, in images released by the club, offered a rare bit of optimism for Pirates supporters. The new No 9 was among a group being put through their paces, a visual reminder that reinforcements have arrived.
But just as the excitement started to swell, Ouaddou tapped the brakes.
Speaking to SABC Sport over the weekend, the coach urged patience around the Norwegian’s debut.
“I think they will have to be a little bit patient because, as I said, we don't have to rush the process,” he explained. “Of course, everybody wants to see the new players in the team, but as a coach, together with our performance and medical departments, we have to be cautious and make sure he is fully prepared before bringing him into the game.
“When you start games, you have to be ready psychologically, mentally and physically. We don't want to risk any of those factors. When he is on the pitch, it will mean we have received the green light from the performance department.”
The dilemma is obvious. Pirates desperately need a fit, firing Pedersen with Makgopa ruled out, yet their coach refuses to gamble with another key player’s fitness. He is waiting for that “green light” – and hoping it comes sooner rather than later.
Depth to absorb the midfield blow?
Mbatha’s absence slices into Ouaddou’s core, but if there is one area where Pirates can absorb a hit, it is midfield. The squad is stacked with options, both in quality and numbers, and that depth will now be tested across a brutal early schedule.
Before the international break in late September, Pirates are set to play six league matches, an MTN8 semi-final and the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
It is a demanding run even with a full squad. Now, with a key midfielder headed for surgery and their main striker sidelined, the question is simple: can Pirates’ depth carry them through a defining early stretch of the season?
