Africa-Press – Namibia. Namibian international Deon Hotto secured his eighth trophy as an Orlando Pirates player after the Buccaneers edged Marumo Gallants 1-0 in the Carling Knockout Cup final at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday.
The match required extra time after a goalless 90 minutes, with youngster Relebohile Mofokeng netting the decisive goal to break the deadlock.
The 35-year-old forward started the final on the bench before being introduced at half-time. His presence immediately influenced the game, as his low cross from the right wing in extra time created chaos inside the box and eventually fell to Mofokeng, who calmly slotted home with his weaker left foot in the 106th minute.
This triumph marks Orlando Pirates’ second Carling Black Label Cup title in the 14-year history of the competition, their first since defeating Bidvest Wits in the 2011 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The Buccaneers have now lifted their second trophy of the 2025/26 season, having claimed the MTN8 title in September, a historic fourth consecutive success in that competition.
Since joining Pirates in 2020 from the now-defunct Bidvest Wits FC, Hotto has steadily built his legacy, collecting eight major trophies and cementing himself as one of the most decorated players in Orlando Pirates’ modern era.
With two trophies already secured this season and Pirates sitting top of the Betway Premiership standings, talk of a treble has intensified, especially as Hotto continues to chase the only missing domestic medal in his cabinet – the league title. The club also remains in contention for a domestic quadruple with the Nedbank Cup still to be contested.
Financially, Pirates walked away with N$6.85 million for winning the Carling Cup. Runners-up Marumo Gallants earned N$2.85 million, while the semi-finalists each received N$1.35 million. Quarter-finalists collected N$850 000 and round-of-16 teams pocketed N$550 000 apiece.
This victory takes Pirates’ total cup earnings to N$16.8 million this season, adding to the N$10 million prize claimed for winning the MTN8 after defeating Stellenbosch 3-0 in the final earlier in September.
In Kosovo, Liria Prizren collected a crucial three points, with Namibian midfielder Romeo Kasume starting in the heart of midfield, while Uetuuru Kambato began on the bench. Despite the victory, Liria slipped from fourth to fifth place on 36 points, as Trepca 89 FC moved ahead into fourth – also on 36 points thanks to a superior goal difference. They remain four points behind log leaders Vushtrrria FC, who sit on 40 points after 18 matches.
In Malaysia, Petrus Shitembi was once again on the team sheet for Kuching City FC as they faced his former club, Terengganu FC, earning a 1-1 draw. The result keeps Kuching City third with 21 points, while the league leaders are on 30 points from 10 games played.
In Georgia, Tjipe Karuuombe has established himself as a regular starter, completing another full 90 minutes in their 5-0 defeat to fifth-placed Bolnisi FC. His team remains in the relegation zone, second from bottom, with 37 points five points adrift from safety after 36 league matches played.
In South Africa, Bethuel Muzeu started for Black Leopards FC, but the Limpopo outfit’s struggles continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Gomora United FC. The result leaves Leopards anchored at the bottom of the Motsepe Foundation Championship table with 10 points after 13 matches.
Black Leopards were relegated from the same division following their 16th-place finish in the 2022/23 season. However, the club managed to retain its status after purchasing the franchise rights of All Stars FC. The big question now is whether Leopards can maintain their place this season, as they continue to flirt with relegation year after year.
Meanwhile, Prins Tjiueza has resumed full training but is not yet ready for selection as his side, Cape Town City FC, maintained their strong form with a 1-0 win over Highbury FC. Ngero Katua started for Highbury, while compatriot Ndisiro Kamaijanda started off the bench. The loss pushed Highbury into fifth place on 22 points, while Cape Town City climbed into fourth also on 22 points but with a superior goal difference.
In Botswana, Ivan Kamberipa found the scoresheet as Gaborone United claimed a 2-0 win over Extension Gunners in the Legacy Cup.
In England, Riaan Nyambe featured for Derby County FC in their 3-1 defeat to 14th-placed Leicester City in the English Championship. The result drops Derby to 15th position with 26 points.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch.
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