There are football matches that disappear into history, and then there are matches that remain attached to a stadium, a rivalry and the memories of supporters who witnessed them. For Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, the 2023 MTN8 Final belongs firmly in the second category.
Three years ago, the two South African giants walked onto the same Moses Mabhida Stadium pitch with the MTN8 trophy at stake. After 120 minutes, neither side had scored and the final was decided by penalties. Pirates prevailed 3-1 in the shootout, with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine emerging as one of the central figures of the dramatic victory.
Now, in 2026, the same two clubs are returning to the same venue for another MTN8 Final. The circumstances have changed, the players have changed, but the memories remain.
A Final That Refused to Produce a Goal
The 2023 final was played on 7 October at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Pirates entered the contest as defending champions, while Sundowns arrived in impressive form and determined to take the trophy away from the Buccaneers.
What followed was an intense and tactical contest. Neither side could find the breakthrough during the opening 90 minutes, and another 30 minutes of extra time produced no goals either. When the referee brought extra time to an end, the scoreboard remained locked at 0-0.
The MTN8 trophy would have to be decided from 12 yards.
The Penalty Shootout
Penalty shootouts can reduce an enormous football occasion to a handful of kicks. Months of preparation can come down to a few seconds, with players under immense pressure and goalkeepers given the opportunity to become heroes.
That was precisely what happened for Pirates. The Buccaneers eventually won the shootout 3-1, with Chaine producing crucial saves while Pirates converted enough opportunities to secure the trophy.
The victory allowed Pirates to retain the MTN8 title and added another piece of silverware to the club’s remarkable history in the competition. For Sundowns, the night ended in disappointment after 120 minutes of football without a goal.
The Details Tell the Story
The 2023 final was not simply about the penalty shootout. It was also a reflection of how closely matched the two clubs were. The PSL match centre recorded 15 shots for Sundowns compared with seven for Pirates, while Sundowns also had six corners to Pirates’ five.
Yet neither team could find the goal that would settle the contest before penalties.
Sundowns created opportunities, Pirates defended, Pirates threatened and Sundowns resisted. Neither side was willing to give the other the decisive opening, eventually leaving the entire contest to be settled from the penalty spot.
Chaine’s Night to Remember
For Sipho Chaine, the final became a defining moment. The Pirates goalkeeper produced the saves required during the shootout and helped the Buccaneers secure another MTN8 triumph.
His penalty heroics became one of the defining memories of that final and demonstrated one of the great truths about cup football: goalkeepers can win finals.
A goalkeeper may make relatively few saves during 120 minutes, but when the shootout arrives, everything changes. The goalkeeper becomes the last barrier between glory and heartbreak.
Chaine stood tall. Pirates celebrated. Sundowns were left wondering what might have been.
Pirates’ MTN8 Dominance Continued
The 2023 victory was particularly significant because it formed part of the beginning of Pirates’ extraordinary modern MTN8 run. The Buccaneers went on to win the competition again in 2024 and 2025.
Now they are back in the final in 2026, chasing a fifth consecutive title.
Saturday’s meeting with Sundowns is therefore not simply another final. It is another opportunity for Pirates to extend one of the most remarkable runs in recent South African cup football, while reaching a fifth consecutive MTN8 Final in the process.
Sundowns Have a Different Memory
For Sundowns, the 2023 final represents unfinished business. The club knows what it feels like to dominate portions of a final, create chances and still walk away without the trophy.
That experience can either become a source of motivation or remain a painful memory.
Three years later, Sundowns have another opportunity. Once again, the opponent is Pirates. Once again, the venue is Moses Mabhida. Once again, the MTN8 trophy is waiting.
The Venue Makes the Rematch Even More Intriguing
Moses Mabhida Stadium has become closely associated with major MTN8 moments.
For Pirates, it is a venue where they have already celebrated against Sundowns. For Sundowns, it is also the stadium where they lifted the MTN8 trophy in 2021 after defeating Cape Town City on penalties.
That gives Saturday’s final an unusual historical backdrop. Both clubs have experienced MTN8 triumph at this stadium, both have experienced the pressure of penalty shootouts there and both know what it feels like to leave the venue either celebrating or devastated.
Sundowns’ 2021 Triumph
Before the 2023 meeting, Sundowns had already created their own Moses Mabhida memory.
In the 2021 MTN8 Final, the Brazilians faced Cape Town City. The match also went to penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time, with Sundowns eventually prevailing 3-2 in the shootout to lift the trophy.
That remains their most recent MTN8 triumph. Five years later, they are returning to the competition’s final with an opportunity to reclaim the crown.
The setting could hardly be more appropriate.
Two Clubs Chasing Different Kinds of History
The 2026 final brings two contrasting ambitions together.
Pirates are trying to extend their dominance. The Buccaneers have won the last four MTN8 editions and want to make it five.
Sundowns are trying to end the wait. Their last triumph came in 2021, meaning a victory on Saturday would return the trophy to Chloorkop after five years.
It makes the final a battle between continuity and revival. Pirates want their dynasty to continue, while Sundowns want to start a new chapter.
The 2023 Final Cannot Decide 2026
History can create emotion, but it cannot win Saturday’s match.
The players taking the field in 2026 must write their own story. The tactics will be different, the squads are different and the circumstances have changed.
Even though the venue and finalists are the same, the match will belong to a new generation.
That is one of the great attractions of football. The past can provide context, but the present decides the result.
Could Penalties Decide It Again?
It would be almost impossible to predict another penalty shootout, yet the possibility cannot be ignored.
The 2023 final demonstrated just how evenly matched Pirates and Sundowns can be when the stakes are highest. If neither side can find a breakthrough after 90 minutes, the pressure will increase. If extra time also fails to produce a winner, the memories of 2023 will immediately return.
Pirates will remember Chaine’s heroics. Sundowns will remember the disappointment. Every player standing over a penalty will know exactly what is at stake.
A Rivalry Built on Big Occasions
Pirates and Sundowns have become two of the defining forces of South African football. Their meetings regularly carry significance beyond a normal league fixture.
They compete for major trophies, challenge each other’s ambitions and attract enormous support. When they meet in a final, the stakes become even higher.
The MTN8 has provided another stage for that rivalry, with the 2023 final standing as one of the clearest examples.
Saturday’s match will add another chapter.
Three Years Later, the Stage Is Set Again
On Saturday, 10 October 2026, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns will return to Moses Mabhida Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00.
The PSL has confirmed that the final is sold out, with gates opening at 14:00. The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL, Channel 202.
Pirates arrive chasing a fifth consecutive MTN8 title. Sundowns arrive chasing their first since 2021.
And somewhere in the background will be the memory of October 2023: the 0-0 draw, extra time, penalties, saves, celebrations and heartbreak.
History Remembers the Winner
Three years ago, Pirates held the trophy aloft while Sundowns walked away disappointed. This time, both clubs have another opportunity to shape their own history.
Perhaps the final will produce goals. Perhaps it will be decided by tactical brilliance. Perhaps a late moment of individual quality will settle everything.
Or perhaps, once again, Moses Mabhida will witness another tense encounter that refuses to produce a winner inside 120 minutes.
If that happens, the memories of 2023 will become even more powerful.
Regardless of how Saturday unfolds, one thing is certain: Pirates and Sundowns are returning to the scene of one of the MTN8’s most memorable finals.
The same stadium. The same trophy. The same two giants. A completely new story.
History created the rivalry. Saturday will write the next chapter.
Image by Mamelodi Sundowns (Website)
