Crowning glory for Baxter from his Boys
Supersport United Orlando Pirates (1) 4 (0) 1 OVER to you Eric Tinkler. The incoming Supersport United coach would not have been anywhere near this 4-1 massacre of Orlando Pirates in Durban last night, but he may have been watching as his new side carved open the Buccaneers to retain the Nedbank Cup trophy.
The game was a farewell for Stuart Baxter as he leaves club football to guide Bafana Bafana to next year’s World Cup in Russia and the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, but the former Cape Town City miracle worker Tinkler will wonder just how he can improve them.
It was a superior performance against an awful Pirates outfit, whose coach Kjell Jonevret will know his side needs a complete makeover.
A game slow to sizzle turned into a blinder – at least for Supersport – when Jeremy Brockie, who had missed a penalty in the second half, added to his strike partner Bradley Grobler’s 33rd minute opener.
For a side that couldn’t stress enough that they wanted to reward their supporters with a trophy, after finishing outside the top eight (11th) for the first time in PSL era, Pirates’ words proved to be shallow.
They flattered to deceive in the opening minutes, with captain Oupa Manyisa’s silky touches only teasing as the Buccaneers pressed Supersport in search of an early lead.
They couldn’t break them and it was Grobler who drew first blood when he finished off a Grant Kekana cross, easily sliding it past goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane.
Suddenly, the Pirates back four were vulnerable and Jonevret seemed to have his tactics and starting line-up all wrong. Abbubaker Mobara was shifted yet again, this time to centreback, after being used as a defensive midfielder in games leading up to this cup final, while Patrick Phungwayo was chosen ahead of Marc van Heerden at leftback. Questionable choices. Supersport were only happy to punish them, and it could have come even earlier had Brockie’s spot kick not been saved by Mpontshane.
But the goal-machine that has made a habit of scoring in big games, made amends.
Then Grobler joined the party to get his second of the night and Supersport’s third before substitute Kingston Nkhatha bagged a fourth to end the match as a contest.
Pirates supporters reacted by throwing objects at the security personnel and invading the pitch.
When Manyisa scored a consolation goal from the penalty spot in optional time, a few had already made their way home.
The match proved Supersport could have been more than simply league title contenders.
Jonevret, on the other hand, has his work cut out – if he decides to stick around to try fix this clutter.