At least even a few months into 2025, it looked as if Orlando Pirates would take the Betway Premiership title race to the wire, only to fall off in the end. So, where did they lose it?
Following reports that Jose Riveiro started negotiating with Al Ahly back in February, there is reason to believe that perhaps his commitment to the cause was no longer the same from 2025.
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After finishing 12 points behind Sundowns, it looks, on paper, like the latter had one of those seasons where they did not have tough competition for the league title.
Bucs started on a high note, winning seven in a row, but by the 11th game, already had two losses - to Cape Town City and Stellenbosch FC.
According to former Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela, that was the turning point.
"These boys have done well, but they need experience. You could see with the game they threw away, Stellenbosch, Cape Town City - that's where they lost the league. They couldn't control the game. They were up there (with Sundowns)," Mphela said on TimesLIVE Video YouTube Channel.
"That's where you need senior players to say, 'This game we're not playing pretty, let's get three points because Sundowns is also moving'. Psychologically, it would be to Sundowns players' minds that 'Hey, we're winning, these ones are also winning'.
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In the first two seasons under the Spaniard, where the Soweto giants also ended up in second, they finished 16 points and 23 points behind Sundowns, who managed 70 or more points in the previous three campaigns.
