Orlando Pirates brutally hammered in Netherlands tour opener

Dstv Diski Challenge (DDC) champions Orlando Pirates suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at the hands of SBV Vitesse reserve side in their first match of their Netherlands tour on Tuesday afternoon.

The Buccaneers will spend nine days in Europe as part of the annual Winners Tour, aiming to immerse themselves in different footballing philosophies and styles of play.

Notably, it was Pirates' first-ever reserve league title, with head coach Roscoe Krieling guiding his troops to a 2-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns to clinch the championship on the final day last season.

With 75 points amassed, 24 wins, 18 clean sheets, and 21 weeks at the summit of the table, the Soweto giants redefined the competition as they set the record for the highest points tally.

The historic triumph saw several youngsters, including talisman Mpho ‘Phopho’ Padime, Tristan Derbyshire, and Simphiwe Masilela travel with the first-team for the pre-season camp in Spain ahead of the 2026/27 term.

Pirates' tour, however, got off to a rocky start against Vitesse at the Papendal training complex, as they conceded three goals in the first half before succumbing to two more in the second stanza.

Pirates will be looking to bounce back when they lock horns with current under-21 KNVB Dutch Cup champions De Graafschap at the Bezellhorst training complex in Doetinchem on Thursday, 20 August.

The Sea Robbers will then travel to Rotterdam for a mini-tournament at Robey Academy, where they will face Sparta Rotterdam and Yamanashi Gakuin High School of Japan on 22 August.

Hlayisani Magoro

Editorfr, en

Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

Related teams and leagues

Orlando Pirates U23

Vitesse II