Pirates march into semis
DURBAN - Kabelo Dlamini and Patrick Maswanganyi scored a brace each as Orlando Pirates came back from a goal down to beat AmaZulu 4-2 in a Nedbank Cup quarter-final clash at a packed Moses Mabhida Stadium last night.
Prior to the game, former Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari warned his former team Bucs that AmaZulu will not lie down and die just like Golden Arrows, whom they hammered 7-1, and it turned out that way. Even though Pirates dominated proceedings from the start to finish, Usuthu did look dangerous on the counter attack. Mabasa wasted a glorious chance to put the Buccaneers in the lead in the third minute following a mistake at the back, but his shot was cleared off the line.
A minute later Mabasa was presented with a chance to make amends of his earlier miss but his shot was parried away to safety by Veli Mothwa. Victor Letsoalo tried a clever back heel for AmaZulu in the 13th minute, but his shot went narrowly wide of goals. Pule Ekstein put Usuthu in the lead at the half hour mark with a brilliantly taken shot just outside the box following a good cross from Riaan Hanamub.
Pirates continued to apply pressure on the AmaZulu defence and they were rewarded for their efforts when they awarded a penalty in the 44th minute for Taariq Fielies’ foul on Makhehleni Makhaula inside the box.
The call brought an uproar from the AmaZulu bench and the Usuthu fans on the stands, but the decision stood and Patrick Maswanganyi stepped up and sent Mothwa the wrong way to make sure that the teams are levelled at 1-1 at the half-time break.
Captain Innocent Maela pulled off an excellent tackle to deny Ekstein in the 54th minute when the former Kaizer Chiefs attacking midfielder was through on goals. The home side were to be punished for that miss four minutes later when Kabelo Dlamini put Pirates in the lead with a well-taken free kick just outside the penalty area.
But Fielies, who find himself in the referee’s book for contesting the Pirates free kick that led to a goal, equalised for Usuthu in the 64th minute with a header. Ekstein came close to grabbing a brace in the 72nd minute, but his shot hit the crossbar with Chaine well-beaten.
Dlamini completed his brace with a cool finish after he was put through on goals by substitute Monnapule Saleng. Patrick Maswanganyi put the final nail into the AmaZulu coffin in referee’s optional time with a wonderful finish to make sure that the Buccaneers join Mamelodi Sundowns and Stellenbosch FC in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup.