Orlando Pirates brought their pre-season tour in Spain to a close with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Saudi Arabian side NEOM SC on Friday.
The Buccaneers end the five-match tour with two victories, one draw and two defeats as head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou continues shaping his squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Final Test Before the New Season
Pirates faced another strong opponent in NEOM SC, but were unable to find the breakthrough as the Saudi club claimed a 1-0 victory.
Despite the result, the encounter provided another valuable opportunity for Ouaddou to assess his squad against quality international opposition before the competitive season begins.
Mixed Results in Spain
The Buccaneers opened the tour with a 1-1 draw against Córdoba CF before recording an impressive 2-1 victory over Cádiz CF.
They were then edged 3-2 by Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad but bounced back with a memorable 1-0 win over La Liga side UD Las Palmas thanks to Boitumelo Radiopane’s late winner.
The defeat to NEOM SC means Pirates finish the Spanish tour with a balanced record of two wins, one draw and two losses.
Orlando Pirates’ Pre-Season Results
- 🤝 Córdoba CF 1-1 Orlando Pirates
- ✅ Cádiz CF 1-2 Orlando Pirates
- ❌ Al-Ittihad 3-2 Orlando Pirates
- ✅ UD Las Palmas 0-1 Orlando Pirates
- ❌ NEOM SC 1-0 Orlando Pirates
Focus Shifts to the Competitive Season
While results are always welcomed during pre-season, Pirates will take encouragement from the competitive nature of their performances throughout the tour.
The Spanish camp offered valuable preparation as the Betway Premiership champions continue building towards the defence of their league title and another CAF Champions League campaign.