Bucs set up repeat final
MOBARA: CENTREBACK FORGOES DEFENSIVE DUTIES TO SLOT THE WINNER Pirates sweat as Sibiya hits the bar in the final minute.
Abbubaker Mobara gave what could easily be his best performance in an Orlando Pirates shirt so far when he helped the struggling Soweto giants advance to the final of the Nedbank Cup after beating Golden Arrows 1-0 at Princess Magogo Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The versatile 23-year-old was used as a central defender in yes- terday’s match and he played well, thwarting any threat Abafana
Bes’thende tried to throw at them. Mobara scored the all-important goal that saw Pirates set up a date for a repeat of last season’s Ke Yona final with SuperSport United who beat Chippa United on Saturday to get to the final set for Moses Mabhida Stadium on June 24.
The Buccaneers’ persistent forays were duly rewarded when Mobara easily headed in Mpho Makola’s freekick and gave Nkosingiphile Gumede in Arrows goals no chance in the 34th minute.
Bucs dominated their opponents in the first half and were deserved leaders going into the half- time break although they could have been leading by a bigger margin.
The creativity of Pirates forwards like Makola, Dove Wome, Oupa Manyisa and Thabo Rakhale added to Thamsanqa Gabuza’s bullish play proved a bit unsettling for Abafana Bes’thende.
Arrows came back for the second half a better side and were more confident on the ball and pinned their visitors back. But the Buccaneers defence held on and were quite hard to break for Clinton Larsen’s side, with the central pairing of Mobara and Happy Jele proving too strong.
Pirates played more a counter-attacking style in the second and came close to finding a second goal with Marc van Heerden’s stinging freekick fisted away by Gumede who is gradually proving to be a good goalkeeper for the Durban-based Arrows.
It was second-half substitute Nduduzo Sibiya who came closest to equalising for Arrows in the final minute when his freekick hit the bar with Jackson Mabokgwane beaten.
The two teams will have a go at each other again in the same venue of Saturday – only this time they will be fighting for three points in an Absa Premiership match as the league wraps up.
SuperSport will meanwhile be the home team for the final at Moses Mabhida Stadium as confirmed by a draw after yesterday afternoon’s match.
SuperSport United’s love affair with the Nedbank Cup continued after yet another episode of penalties saw the capital city-based side reach a second successive final at the expense of Chippa United in a 4-2 shootout after a goalless draw, setting up an exciting final on the last day of the season with Orlando Pirates on June 24.
Matsatsantsa A Pitori reached the semifinal in similar fashion after edging Kaizer Chiefs in the quarterfinals. They now have an opportunity to defend their title, which will be nothing less than a fitting send-off for Bafana Bafana bound Stuart Baxter.
Chippa’s Sandile Zuke was named Man-of-the-Match, but SuperSport goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was the real hero of the day as he stopped Chippa’s first two penalties, including Zuke’s take.
“We gave it our best shot, unfortunately when it got to the penalties it was a gamble.
“It was a very tough game, we had to go to extra time and we managed to finish the game. Fatigue was kicking in so we had to just hold on and make sure that we fight until the end. All the credit must go to the guys for doing their best,” Zuke told SuperSport TV after the game.
Defender Diamond Thopola, who was stand-in captain on the day in absence of injured skipper Thamsanqa Sangweni, says his side have already shifted their focus to their crucial final Absa Premiership match away to troubled Free State Stars, as both teams are in desperate need of victories in their bid to avoid relegation.
The Bafana Bafana international made his excitement known about the return of coach Dan Malesela after the 51-yearold mentor was placed on “special leave” by the club.
“It is good to have him back,” he said.