Pirates through to MTN8 final
Bucs end Amakhosi MTN8 title aspirations with 75th-minute equaliser
LENNOX Bacela dashed Kaizer Chiefs’ dreams as his all-important equaliser steered Orlando Pirates to the MTN8 final yesterday.
LENNOX Bacela steered Orlando Pirates to the MTN8 final yesterday, with an equaliser that knocked Kaizer Chiefs out of the Premier Soccer League cup competition.
Bucs drew 1-1 with Chiefs in a second-leg semifinal match at Orlando Stadium to advance to the R8m final with a 2-1 aggregate win over the two legs.
Daine Klate scored the solitary goal in the first-leg match at FNB Stadium last month.
For yesterday’s game, Pirates reshuffled their defence by resting 38-year-old captain Lucky Lekgwathi. Thabo Matlala was relegated to the bench and Siyabonga Sangweni was handed the captain’s armband in Lekgwathi’s absence.
Lekgwathi — the most experienced Pirates player — was apparently only informed on Sunday night he would be rested for the final and would play no part yesterday.
Patrick Phungwayo got a rare start operating in his specialist position on the left flank, which has been monopolised by Matlaba.
As for Chiefs, Siboniso Gaxa was back in action from injury in place of midfielder Josta Dladla — who was converted to the rightback position in Saturday’s 2-1 league win over Platinum Stars where he also deservedly won Man of the Match award — starting on the bench.
SA’s most popular and best supported soccer occasion got off to a flying start with the two giants fighting hard to get an early goal.
Pirates dominated the midfield with Oupa Manyisa and Lehlogonolo Masalesa combining well in the build-ups but failing to break a Chiefs wall marshalled by Morgan Gould and company. Amakhosi broke the deadlock through Bernard Parker after a corner kick by Siphiwe Tshabalala in the 36th minute.
This was after Meyiwa failed to properly handle the ball and an unmarked Parker was on hand to easily bang it into an empty net.
Soon after the opening goal, the two coaches — Roger De Sa (Pirates) and his Chiefs counterpart Stuart Baxter — instructed their players on the bench to warm-up.
De Sa started the second half by putting on Sifiso Myeni to replace Tlou Segolela, who was struggling on the leftwing because of lack of supply of the ball, which at times forced him to go to the right flank.
Myeni brought Pirates back into the game, giving Manyisa and Masalesa more freedom.
Baxter made a tactical change in the 57th minute by bringing on striker Kingston Nkhatha for midfielder Siyabonga Nkosi to add up the numbers up-front.
Pirates came close to scoring in the 67th minute but defender Happy Jele hit the crossbar with keeper Itumeleng Khune beaten.
The home side levelled matters in the 75th minute from the penalty spot after Bacela sent Chiefs goalkeeper Khune into the wrong direction. Pirates adopted a more defen- sive approach when they pulled off striker Kermit Erasmus for Manti Moholo four minutes later. Later Dlala replaced Siphiwe Tshabalala.
Bacela said after the match: ‘‘It was naturally going to be a tough one after Sunday’s game with Al Ahly. I am happy to have scored but we played as a team.
‘‘We are ready to win this trophy in Durban, Pirates are back to their winning ways in terms of trophies.”
Pirates assistant coach Tebogo Moloi said: ‘‘The attitude displayed by the boys was simply the best (and) we neutralised Chiefs in the middle of the park.”