PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 13: Rulani Mokwena MC Alger head coach Rulani Mokwena conference at Loftus Stadium on February 13, 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Phakaaathi football digital manager Khaya Ndubane takes us through this week’s top football stories.
On the agenda, the 2025-26 Betway Premiership title race enters its final, decisive stretch. Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are locked in a fierce battle.
Having lost their position at the top to Pirates, who drew 1-1 with Siwelele FC this past weekend, Sundowns reclaimed it with a 3-1 victory over Marumo Gallants on Tuesday.
The Brazilians now lead the Buccaneers by two points, with both teams having played 21 games so far. It’s proving to be an interesting battle indeed.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has warned his charges to avoid complacency in this title race.
With Sundowns not in action this weekend because of the CAF Champions League, where they face Stade Malien on Sunday, Pirates will get another chance to leapfrog them when they face TS Galaxy away in Mbombela also on Sunday. Sipho Chaine and Deon Hotto will be hoping for better finishing from their teammates. The duo were unhappy with their failure to convert chances against Siwelele in their previous game.
Moving to the international front, our SA’s own Pep Guardiola, Rulani Mokwena, found himself on the wrong end of the law when he was arrested at the airport in Algeria on his way to Libya, where he was going to be unveiled as Al Ittihad Tripoli coach. Mokwena has moved to clarify the arrest, saying it was just a misunderstanding.
Lastly, CAF and its president, Patrice Motsepe, have come under a bit of a stick after Senegal were stripped of their Afcom title. This comes after the CAF DC decided to strip the Elephants of Teranga of the title and declare Morocco as Afcon winners.
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