# 2021–22 Orlando Pirates F.C. season

The 2021–22 season is Orlando Pirates's 26th consecutive season in the South African Premier Division, the top tier of South African soccer. They will also participate in the Nedbank Cup, the MTN 8 and the CAF Confederation Cup.

## Review and events

Orlando Pirates F.C. started the 2021–22 Season in the MTN 8 as defending champions but were eliminated by Swallows F.C. in the Quarter-finals. Josef Zinnbauer stepped down 24 hours after the lose as Orlando Pirates F.C. manager.

## Players

Statistics correct as of : 17 April 2022
List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | DStv Premiership | DStv Premiership | MTN 8 Cup | MTN 8 Cup | Nedbank Cup | Nedbank Cup | CAF Confederation Cup | CAF Confederation Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 30 | GK | RSA | Wayne Sandilands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | GK | GHA | Richard Ofori | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 40 | GK | RSA | Siyabonga Mpontshane | 25 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | RSA | Happy Jele (Captain) | 22 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | DF | RSA | James Monyane | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | RSA | Ntsikelelo Nyauza | 21 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 39 | DF | RSA | Sandile Mthethwa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | RSA | Thulani Hlatshwayo | 15 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | RSA | Wayde Jooste | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | RSA | Bongani Sam | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | RSA | Innocent Maela | 14 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | RSA | Paseka Mako | 30 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | RSA | Bandile Shandu | 33 | 7 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 |
| 36 | DF | RSA | Thabiso Sesane | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | RSA | Kwanda Mngonyama | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 49 | DF | NGA | Olisa Ndah | 24 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | RSA | Collins Makgaka | 13 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | RSA | Azola Tshobeni | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | RSA | Katlego Cwinyane | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | RSA | Ntsako Makhubela | 17 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | MF | RSA | Thembinkosi Lorch | 18 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | RSA | Ben Motshwari | 21 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | RSA | Siphesihle Ndlovu | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | NAM | Deon Hotto | 35 | 7 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | RSA | Fortune Makaringe | 33 | 3 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
| 16 | MF | RSA | Thabang Monare | 23 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | RSA | Kabelo Dlamini | 27 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
| 21 | MF | RSA | Nkanyiso Zungu | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | RSA | Linda Mntambo | 11 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 44 | MF | RSA | Abel Mabaso | 21 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | RSA | Vincent Pule | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | RSA | Goodman Mosele | 24 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | MWI | Gabadinho Mhango | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | RSA | Tshegofatso Mabasa | 17 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 25 | FW | RSA | Zakhele Lepasa | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | ZIM | Terrence Dzvukamanja | 25 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 24 | FW | RSA | Tebogo Tlolane | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | FW | RSA | Boitumelo Radiopane | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | FW | GHA | Kwame Peprah | 30 | 7 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 43 | FW | RSA | Simo Bophela | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Preseason friendlies

Orlando Pirates F.C. play Kaizer Chiefs F.C. on a preseason friendly since 2011 except for 2018 (due to FIFA World Cup Qualifications) and 2020 (due to COVID-19 virus).

### Carling Black Label Cup

The 2021 Carling Black Label Cup was the ninth edition of the Carling Black Label Cup to be held.

## League
### DStv Premiership Log

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Stellenbosch | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 47 | Qualification for Confederation Cup |
| 5 | Kaizer Chiefs | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 34 | 26 | +8 | 47 | |
| 6 | Orlando Pirates | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 34 | 28 | +6 | 44 | |
| 7 | AmaZulu | 30 | 8 | 17 | 5 | 24 | 22 | +2 | 41 | |
| 8 | SuperSport United | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 36 | 32 | +4 | 40 | |

### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | H | H | H | A | A | A | A | H |
| Results | D | D | W | W | L | D | D | D | W | L | D | W | D | D | W | D | L | W | W | D | D | L | W | W | D | D | L | W |
| Position | 5 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 |

### DStv Premiership
## Competitions
### MTN 8 Cup

Quarter-finals
Orlando Pirates F.C. title defence came to an end after the defeat.

### Nedbank Cup

Last 32 (second round)
Last 16 (third round)
Orlando Pirates F.C. Cup Journey Ended Here

## International competitions
### CAF Confederation Cup

Second round
Orlando Pirates Win By 1–0 On Aggregate
Play Off Round
Orlando Pirates F.C. progress to the Group Stage following a forfeit by LPRC Oilers

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ORL | ITT | JSS | ROL |
| 1 | Orlando Pirates | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 13 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| 2 | Al Ittihad | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 11 | Advance to knockout stage | 3–2 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| 3 | JS Saoura | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 10 | | 0–2 | 1–0 | — | 2–0 |
| 4 | Royal Leopards | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 18 | −13 | 0 | | 2–6 | 1–2 | 0–2 | — |

### Knockout stage

Quarter-finals
1st Leg
2nd Leg
1–1 on aggregate. Orlando Pirates won 4–3 on penalties.
Semi-finals
1st Leg
2nd Leg