DStv Diski Challenge | 8 November 2026
Polokwane City’s development side came up just short against the competition’s pacesetters on Sunday morning, beaten 2-1 by a resurgent Orlando Pirates in the DStv Diski Challenge. Goals from Aphelele Nzimande and Thandolwethu Hlophe settled the contest for the Soweto club, who stretched their fine run with a third straight win. Rise and Shine’s young guns did find a reply, but it was not quite enough to deny a Pirates side in full flow.
How it played out
Pirates have been the form team in the Diski Challenge, and that momentum showed. Nzimande and Hlophe both found the net to give the visitors control, and while Polokwane City refused to make it easy, the two-goal cushion proved decisive. It was a tight, competitive morning rather than a one-sided affair, but the pacesetters had the extra edge in the key moments.
Credit in defeat
There was no disgrace in the result against a side riding a winning streak, and Polokwane’s youngsters can take heart from staying in the fight and getting on the scoresheet. For a development group, testing yourself against the best in the competition is exactly the kind of exposure that sharpens young players, even when the points go the other way.
What’s next
With the senior Betway Premiership programme on hold through the elections postponement and the FIFA international break, the reserve fixtures are where Polokwane’s prospects keep ticking over. The challenge now is to turn promising performances like this into results and climb the Diski table when the margins fall their way.
