Monnapule Saleng left Orlando Pirates under a cloud. However, they’ll miss him much less than was previously expected.
New signings Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi are both Bafana regulars.
Saleng’s future at Pirates beyond his loan spell at Orbit College appears bleak. Moremi’s purple patch comes at a good time, too, softening the blow of Champions League heartbreak.
Orlando Pirates still interested in young left-back?
Moremi is now a key player for Orlando Pirates and South Africa
These days, one goal is inevitably enough for Pirates to win matches, because of their ability to keep clean sheets. Tshepang Moremi’s sixth-minute strike was enough to seal all three points against Polokwane on Wednesday night. The 1-0 win meant it’s now six clean sheets on the bounce in the Betway Premiership. Moremi now has six goals in 13 appearances across all competitions, including a match-winning brace off the bench against Stellenbosch in the MTN8 final. These goal-scoring antics will only enhance his chances of playing a prominent role at the World Cup 2026. Moremi was on the bench for Bafana as they claimed a 3-0 win over Rwanda to send them to next year’s showpiece in the Americas.
Life after Saleng at Pirates
Monnapule Saleng’s exit from Pirates turned into a bit of a soap opera. The club’s refusal to name the winger in matchday squads in the calendar year 2025 was clear evidence that relations had broken down. Saleng was the PSL Player of the Year in 2022-2023 after a dazzling campaign where he scored 15 goals and supplied 11 assists in 30 matches across all competitions, including 11 goals and eight assists in just 22 league matches. However, his stock has steadily declined ever since, and in 2025-2026 Pirates loaned him out to his former club, Orbit College. He’s only scored one goal in nine matches across all competitions. The blow of his exit has been considerably softened by the arrivals of Moremi and Oswin Appollis. These are now two key Bafana Bafana players.
Champions League heartbreak for Orlando Pirates
The Sea Robbers have been dumped out of the CAF Champions League at the preliminary stage by minnows Saint-Éloi Lupopo. Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men won the second leg 3-0, but went out on penalties. There was also no shortage of controversy, with Lupopo’s Dieumerci Mukoko Amale winning no admirers in Sowrto with his antics and histrionics.
