Magesi FC Upset Orlando Pirates 3-2 in Carling Knockout Shock

Magesi FC Upset Orlando Pirates 3-2 in Carling Knockout Shock Sep, 22 2025

Match recap

On Saturday, 19 October 2024, the Carling Knockout delivered a classic cup shock. Magesi FC arrived at Orlando Stadium as clear underdogs and walked away with a 3‑2 victory over the league heavyweight Orlando Pirates.

From the first whistle, the Pirates rocked the ball around, holding 70 percent of possession and peppering the Magesi defence with chance after chance. Coach José Riveiro later boasted that his side logged 30 attempts on goal, while the visitors mustered just three.

Despite that dominance, the opening goal came from Magesi’s striker in the 12th minute, sneaking past the keeper after a slip‑through pass. The Pirates answered quickly, forcing a corner and equalising at the 23rd minute. The dead‑lock lasted only eight minutes before Magesi’s midfielder fired home his second, putting the minnows 2‑1 up.

Orlando Pirates kept the pressure on, and Riveiro’s men finally pulled one back in the 68th minute with a well‑placed header. The game seemed poised for extra time when the Pirates earned a penalty in the 84th minute, but their taker curled it wide of the post.

In the dying minutes, Magesi clinched the win with a swift counter‑attack that finished in the 86th minute, making it 3‑2. The Pirates threw everything at the Pirates’ net in the final minutes, but the clock ran out, leaving the home fans stunned.

What the result means

The upset sends Magesi FC into the Carling Knockout last‑16, where they will face AmaZulu FC. For a club that usually battles in lower divisions, reaching this stage is a massive boost – both financially and in terms of exposure.

Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, face a reality check. Conceding three goals at their own stadium is a rarity, and the loss highlights how cup competitions can expose even the strongest sides when they fail to capitalize on their dominance.

Riveiro, after a brief press conference, congratulated Magesi for their “clinical finishing” and admitted his side was “really, really close” to leveling the score but simply ran out of time. He also warned that the Pirates must tighten up defensively if they hope to stay alive in the tournament.

Fans and pundits alike are already calling the match one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 Carling Knockout. It’s a reminder that in knockout football, a single goal can tip the balance, regardless of how many chances the opposition creates.

As Magesi prepares for the next round, the underdog story continues to capture the imagination of South African football lovers, proving that determination and sharp finishing can outshine sheer volume of shots.

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18 Comments

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    nidhi heda

    September 24, 2025 AT 14:51
    OMG I CRIED 😭😭😭 THIS IS THE MOST DRAMATIC MATCH I’VE EVER SEEN! MAGESI FC JUST BROKE MY HEART AND REBUILT IT IN LIKE 3 SECONDS!! 🥹⚽
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    Rohit Raina

    September 25, 2025 AT 09:55
    Actually, this isn’t that surprising. Pirates always choke in cups when they think they’ve already won. Possession ≠ victory. Just ask Manchester United in 2004.
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    Prasad Dhumane

    September 27, 2025 AT 04:20
    I love how football still has magic like this. You’ve got a team from the lower tiers, playing with heart, no fancy stats, no sponsor logos on their kits-just grit. And they outsmart a giant not by luck, but by timing, discipline, and pure nerve. It’s beautiful. The kind of game that reminds you why you fell in love with the sport in the first place.
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    rajesh gorai

    September 28, 2025 AT 10:02
    The ontological dissonance here is palpable. Pirates operated within a hegemonic paradigm of dominance-quantitative superiority as epistemic truth. But Magesi enacted a Deleuzian rhizomatic counterattack: non-linear, non-hierarchical, emergent. The penalty miss? Not a failure-it was the universe collapsing the Cartesian illusion of control. 🌀
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    Rampravesh Singh

    September 29, 2025 AT 05:38
    Let it be known that this victory represents the pinnacle of human perseverance, strategic excellence, and unwavering dedication to the sport. Magesi FC has set a new standard for professionalism, humility, and competitive integrity. This is the kind of legacy that inspires generations.
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    Akul Saini

    September 29, 2025 AT 16:25
    The 70% possession stat is misleading without context. Magesi’s compact 5-4-1 meant Pirates were passing sideways in their own half for 40 minutes. Efficiency > volume. Also, the penalty miss was statistically inevitable-Pirates’ taker has a 62% conversion rate under pressure, and this was peak pressure. The counter at 86’? Perfectly timed exploitation of a disorganized high line.
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    Arvind Singh Chauhan

    September 30, 2025 AT 13:26
    I just… I can’t believe it. I’ve been watching Pirates since I was seven. My dad took me to the stadium. I cried when they won the league in ’19. And now… this. They looked so… careless. Like they forgot how to play. I don’t even know who to be mad at anymore. The coach? The keeper? The fans who thought it was a formality? I just feel empty.
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    AAMITESH BANERJEE

    September 30, 2025 AT 14:36
    Man, I’ve been following lower-league stuff for years and this is the kind of moment that makes it all worth it. Magesi’s coach must’ve drilled them on counter-pressing and transitions. That second goal? Pure textbook. And the keeper? Looked like he was born in that net. I’ve got zero bias-I’m a Chiefs fan-but I’m pulling for them next round. No one deserves this more than a club that barely has a training ground.
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    Akshat Umrao

    October 1, 2025 AT 09:54
    That last goal was pure poetry 🙏⚽ I’m just happy football still has room for miracles. Good luck to Magesi, and hey Pirates-better luck next time. You’ll bounce back. 💪
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    Sonu Kumar

    October 1, 2025 AT 22:12
    I suppose the masses find this… charming. But let’s be honest: this is why professional football is declining. A team with a budget smaller than a Premier League kit sponsor wins because the ‘giants’ were… lazy? This isn’t sport. It’s a parable for the collapse of meritocracy. I’m disappointed in the level of play.
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    sunil kumar

    October 3, 2025 AT 12:30
    The tactical discipline displayed by Magesi FC was remarkable. Their ability to maintain defensive shape under sustained pressure, coupled with precise transitions, indicates a high level of coaching. The penalty miss by Pirates was a critical psychological turning point. This match exemplifies the importance of composure under duress.
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    Derek Pholms

    October 4, 2025 AT 21:27
    I mean… I’m not surprised. African football is all about heart over hardware. But Magesi? They didn’t just win-they gave us a Netflix documentary waiting to happen. This is the kind of story that turns local heroes into global icons. The world needs more of this. I’m already writing the script.
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    Mark Dodak

    October 6, 2025 AT 20:08
    I’ve watched a lot of football-college games, MLS, Premier League-but this? This felt like a movie. I don’t even like South African football, but I sat there for 90 minutes holding my breath. That counter at 86’? The way the winger cut inside like he had eyes in the back of his head? I’m still replaying it. Magesi didn’t just win-they rewrote the script.
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    Stephanie Reed

    October 7, 2025 AT 22:59
    This is why I love football. No matter how big the team, no matter how much money they have-anyone can win on the right day. Magesi showed the world that belief matters more than budgets. I’m so proud of them. Keep going!
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    Jason Lo

    October 9, 2025 AT 12:06
    Orlando Pirates are a joke. They’ve been coasting on reputation for a decade. This is what happens when you stop training and start Instagramming. Magesi didn’t win because they were lucky-they won because Pirates forgot how to play football. Fix your culture, not your lineup.
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    Brian Gallagher

    October 10, 2025 AT 13:20
    The defensive organization of Magesi FC was textbook. Their compact mid-block, combined with rapid vertical transitions, neutralized Orlando’s spatial advantage. The penalty save-technically a miss-was a product of psychological pressure, not just technique. This is a masterclass in low-block counterattacking football.
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    Elizabeth Alfonso Prieto

    October 10, 2025 AT 20:38
    I can’t believe this happened. I’m so upset. I thought they’d win easy. I even bought the jersey. Now I feel like a fool. Why did they even play? Why didn’t they just give up the trophy? This is why I hate football. It’s not fair.
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    Prasad Dhumane

    October 11, 2025 AT 16:10
    I’ve been thinking about what Akul said about efficiency over volume-and it’s true. But I think there’s something deeper. Magesi didn’t just play smart-they played with purpose. Every pass, every tackle, every sprint had meaning. Pirates played to win. Magesi played because they had nothing left to lose. And that’s why they won.

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