Bulk of ball possession, but mighty Pirates succumb to daring defensive Stellenbosch

Orlando Pirates dominated Stellenbosch FC under the Danie Craven floodlights which felt like a home tie for the visiting Soweto giants, but the Cape Winelands outfit gallantly defended a 1-0 scoreline to earn a victory on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season.

WRAP | 2023/24 PSL: Matchday 1 - Fixtures, results

A well orchestrated goal on the cusp of half-time, courtesy of Antonio van Wyk was enough for Steve Barker's charges to collect three points against a team that spent nearly two weeks in Spain to prepare for yet another daunting season in which they will return to playing in the CAF Champions League later this year.

Under the guidance of their head coach Jose Rivero, who arrived last year June, leading the Buccaneers to an MTN8 crown, Nedbank Cup gold and second-place league finish, the Soweto giants headed to his Spanish homeland for an intense pre-season stint.

With the Mediterranean city of Marbella as their backdrop, the entire team dove headfirst into a rigorous 12-day training regimen, prepping for the challenges of the new season.

The Soweto giants played a controversial match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning 1-0. They also claimed a 3-1 victory against Independiente del Valle and had a goalless draw against UD Las Palmas. Back home, they maintained their undefeated pre-season run, with victories against Pretoria Callies (3-1), TS Galaxy (4-2), SuperSport United (0-0) and Moroka Swallows (3-1). 

However, on a day where a victory actually mattered, Pirates could not get the job done despite their last season away league record being the second best behind defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns. 

But before Van Wyk's 42-minute goal, Pirates failed on four offensive fronts where rattling the