BUCS LOOKING GOOD ON THE CONTINENT |
ORLANDO PIRATES (2) 3
Nyauza 25, Meeld (OG) 41, Dlamini 70
AL-AHLI BENGHAZI 0
PIRATES are mastering the trade of playing continental football. They have won all of their home games in the group stage of the Confederation Cup so far and this has put them in a steady position to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Yesterday, it was just a casual day for Pirates at Orlando Stadium as they thumped Libyan side Ahli to go to eight points in Group A with two games to go. This was Pirates’ second win at home in the group after beating Enyimba.
This win means that Pirates will need at least three points in their last two games - at home against ES Setif and away to Enyimba – in order to reach the quarters.
Pirates’ undefeated record at home this season looks good on paper but they’ve got to turn their draws into wins in domestic football.
Coach Josef Zinnbauer made four changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Benghazi away, notably Happy Jele replacing Thulani Hlatshwayo in the heart of defence. Jele partnered Ntsikelelo Nyauza as they looked to keep Benghazi’s strikers at bay. But Pirates weren’t creating forays of their own in Benghazi’s final third either, with their final pass or poor decisions letting them down.
But out of nowhere the Bucs marked their territory as they broke the deadlock with Nyauza putting his side ahead.
That goal calmed Pirates’ nerves as they started to attack with purpose. But the closest they came was a shot from Deon Hotto which curled wide and Tshegofatso Mabasa missing a tap-in by inches.
But Pirates didn’t drop their heads and they doubled their tally before half-time. Hotto whipped in a telling corner-kick which took a goal-bound deflection from Mabasa before Aboubakr Meeld unceremoniously flicked the ball into his own net.
Opportunities, though, were hard to come by for both sides in the second half – in a stanza that has a lot more physicality. Pirates, though, won free-kicks in Benghazi’s final third but they failed to capitalise on them, Hotto hitting a close-range set-piece into the stands.
But with time almost up, Pirates showed some intent, sending forays into Benghazi’s box and it was a delightful square ball from Hotto which Mabasa rattled against goalkeeper Zuber Ateya before Kabelo Dlamini buried home that proved to be fruitful.
With their continental challenge taking shape, the MTN8 champions will aim to keep their chances of winning a second domestic trophy alive. But that’s easier said than done as they’ll be away to champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup on Thursday.