A Shaky Start That Nearly Cost Them Early
Pirates’ pre-season tour of Spain wrapped up the way it started for large parts of the trip — a bit uneasy on the ball. Just five minutes in, a mix-up at the back very nearly gifted Neom the lead, Said Benrahma teeing up Munahad Al-Sadd, who couldn’t quite convert the chance. It was a warning sign the Buccaneers didn’t fully heed, and by the end of the night it came back to bite them, going down 1-0 at the Marbella Football Center.
Boitumelo Radiopane, fresh off scoring the winner against Las Palmas two days earlier, was rewarded with a start here, and Pirates did have their moments going forward. Tshepang Moremi got in behind after a nice cross-field ball from Kamogelo Sebelebele but dinked his effort over the bar when a better chance seemed on. That miss loomed larger as the half wore on — right on the stroke of halftime, Neom won a free-kick out wide, and Benrahma stepped up to curl a hard, low finish into the bottom corner past Sipho Chaine. 1-0, and it stayed that way.
Pirates Push Late, But Neom Hold Firm
Pirates kept trying in the second half, pushing men forward in search of an equaliser, but couldn’t find a way through a well-organized Saudi Pro League side that had already shown its quality with wins over Al Ittihad and other tour opponents. Neom, for their part, managed the lead comfortably enough, seeing out the closing stages without too much alarm.
What It Means Next
It’s a mixed way to close out what had otherwise been a productive two-week stay in Spain for Pirates, who tested themselves against five different sides during the trip, including that midweek win over Las Palmas. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou will have plenty to work with regardless, having rotated heavily throughout the tour to get a proper look at his squad. Pirates now head back to South Africa to prepare for the defence of their PSL title.
Match Summary
Orlando Pirates 0-1 Neom SC Club Friendly — Marbella Football Center (Estepona), Málaga, Spain Friday, 24 July 2026
Goal: 45′ Said Benrahma (Neom SC) 0-1 (free-kick)
Result: Neom SC beat Orlando Pirates 1-0, sealing Pirates’ second defeat of their Spanish pre-season tour.
For live pre-season friendly scores and coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and fixtures at the official Orlando Pirates website.
