Sunday World (South Africa)

Maritzburg United bow out of Nedbank Cup

- By Xolile Mtshazo

League strugglers Maritzburg United pinned their hopes on an early goal to sustain them for 90 minutes, thus allowing a resolute Orlando Pirates to bounce back with a 3-1 punishment that left the hosts bowing out of the Nedbank Cup at Harry Gwala stadium last night.

Although Pirates dominated the first half, the Team of Choice’s winger Sibusiso Hlubi had a field day on the right flank whenever the home side put Bucs keeper Richard Ofori under pressure.

His hard work paid off as early as the ninth minute after a lapse in concentrat­ion by the Pirates defence, leading to Ofori leaving his defence line in an attempt to thwart the oncoming danger, only for Thabiso Kutumela to intercept the ball and casually slot it into an empty net.

Pirates turn on the heat came in the second stanza with lone striker Deon Hotto leading the sojourns into the Maritzburg area.

Hotto’s constant probing was rewarded when he became the provider of Pirates’ equaliser after intercepti­ng a long aerial pass from Linda Mntambo and tapped it to an advancing super-sub Kabelo Dlamini to score.

Drama unfolded a few seconds after Bucs levelled matters then took the lead with a superb strike by the hard-working Hotto.

The cherry on top came when Vincent Pule latched onto the rebounding ball from the keeper to send the Buccaneers into the quarterfin­als.

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