Orlando Pirates Face Major Injury Setbacks with Mbatha and Makgopa

Orlando Pirates have been hit by a brutal double blow to their spine, with influential midfielder Thalente Mbatha now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury that is expected to require surgery.

The 26-year-old Bafana Bafana international had started both of Pirates’ matches this season, but his knee has deteriorated to the point where club medics have advised that he go under the knife. The exact diagnosis and recovery timeline remain unclear, yet all indications are that Mbatha is facing a significant lay-off.

That hurts Pirates. It could hurt South Africa too.

Pirates and Bafana rocked by twin knee setbacks

Mbatha’s setback lands barely a day after iDiski Times revealed that Bafana Bafana striker Evidence Makgopa is also out with a knee problem, having played through pain at the World Cup. He has been ordered to rest for two months.

Makgopa, also 26, is not expected to need surgery, but the damage is still substantial. He is set to miss the opening months of the Buccaneers’ 2026/27 campaign and is also likely to sit out Bafana’s 2026 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September.

So in the space of 24 hours, Pirates have seen a midfield mainstay and their leading national-team forward ruled out for a crucial stretch of the season. For Bafana, it removes two established figures ahead of a qualifying campaign that leaves little room for error.

Pressure rises on Pedersen

The fallout is immediate. New Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen suddenly finds himself under a harsh spotlight before he has even kicked a competitive ball for the club.

He only arrived in the country last week. Yet with Makgopa sidelined and coach Abdeslam Ouaddou publicly demanding more from his current forwards after the MTN8 victory over Durban City, the urgency around Pedersen has spiked.

“I need my strikers to wake up quickly and help the team,” Ouaddou said after that match, a pointed message that now lands even heavier with his first-choice No. 9 unavailable.

There was at least one sliver of encouragement for Pirates supporters on Monday. The club released training images, and Pedersen was among the players being put through their paces, a visible sign that his integration is underway.

Still, Ouaddou is not prepared to throw him in just because the need is great.

Ouaddou urges patience despite growing urgency

Speaking to SABC Sport over the weekend, the coach tried to cool the rising expectation around the new signing.

“I think they will have to be a little bit patient because, as I said, we don't have to rush the process,” Ouaddou 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.”

With Makgopa ruled out and Mbatha facing surgery, that “green light” for Pedersen suddenly feels like one of the most important signals in Pirates’ season.

Midfield depth tested as schedule tightens

Mbatha’s absence strips Ouaddou of a trusted figure in the heart of his side, a player who has become a midfield reference point. The blow is softened slightly by the fact that Pirates are well stocked in that area, with enough quality and numbers to rotate.

They will need every bit of that depth.

Before the international break in late September, Pirates are staring at a congested run: six domestic league fixtures, an MTN8 semi-final and the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. It is the kind of schedule that exposes any weakness, physical or mental.

The injuries to Mbatha and Makgopa have redrawn the early-season script. Now the questions are obvious: can Pirates absorb the loss of a midfield stalwart and their primary national-team striker, and can Pedersen step up quickly enough to keep their ambitions on track?