Orlando Pirates (2)2
Mamelodi Sundowns (0)1
I-ORLANDO Pirates iqede ishobolo leminyaka yabuyisa ithemba ngesicoco seligi kubalandeli ngokwehlula iMamelodi Sundowns emdlalweni weBetway Premiership eFNB Stadium, eNasrec, izolo ntambama
Amagoli ePirates ashaywe nguRelebohile Mofokeng esiwombeni sokuqala, ngaphambi kokuthi uKhuliso Mudau ashayele iSundowns elokubika ekhaya ngesesibili.
IPirates, ingene enkundleni ibheke ukuthola amaphuzu amathathu ukuze izonciphisa igebe phakathi kwayo neSundowns evule inkebenkebe esesicongweni se-log yePremiership. Ngaphambi kokubhekana neSundowns, eZimnyama bezinamaphuzu angu-40, zisele ngawu-18 kumaBrazilians abezihola ngawu-58. Ukushaywa kweZimnyama ngamaBrazilians emidlalweni edlule, ikakhulukazi oweligi ezibhaxwe kuwona ngo 4-1 emasontweni adlule, kwenze bancipha abazitshela ukuthi zingaliphendukela leli qembu likaMiguel Cardoso. Ngasekupheleni kwesonto eledlule, umgadli wePirates, uTshegofatso Mabasa, ukusho ngokuzethemba ukuthi umbango wesicoco seligi awukapheli. Ngokuwina, iPirates inciphise igebe lamaphuzu lafinyelela ku-15. Isele ngemidlalo emine kwiSundowns.
Ngaphandle kokunciphisa igebe lamaphuzu ngokuzibambela iSundowns, iPirates iqede ishobolo leminyaka lokushaywa yileli qembu lasePitoli emidlalweni yePremiership. EZimnyama bezilokhu zagcina ukwehlula iSundowms ng-2020 uma kubangwa amaphuzu phezu kokuba iyixebula emidlalweni yomkhumulajezi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bekungokokuqala ehlula iSundowns kwiligi umqeqeshi wePirates, uJose Riveiro, osezoqeda isizini yesithathu kuleli qembu.
Emuva komdlalo, uRiveiro uthe:"Kunzima kakhulu ukudlala neSundowns, yinhle kakhulu. Siqale kahle kakhulu, sashaya igoli kuqala. Besifuna ukuzibeka ebuhleni. Ekugcineni kube yithina esihamba phambili (uma sibhekene nabo). Ukushaya igoli lesibili kube ngenye into. Abadlali bami baqale ngesivuvu. Bayakwethemba esikwenzayo enkundleni nemiphumela yalokho. Badlale kahle. Sishayekile esiwombeni sesibili kodwa hhayi kakhulu. Siphumelele ukubabamba. Asijwayele ukumaka eduze kukaChaine kodwa ngiyababongela abadlali."
Enkundleni, iPirates yenze obekungalindelekile iqala umdlalo ngegiya eliphezulu, icindezela iSundowns emuva. Lokhu kusheshe kwathela izithelo ngesikhathi u-Evidence Makgopa ethola ibhola agcine eligobela uMofokeng ebhokisini, walinamathisela phakathi ngomzuzu wesine. Emuva komzuzu, uMofokeng ujezise iSundowns ngephutha elenziwe ngabadlali bayo basemuva, eshayela eZimnyama igoli lesibili. Emuva kwala magoli, iSundowns ikhombise ukuhlangana, izama ukungena emdlalweni kodwa iPirates ibingafuni lutho olufika kunozinti wayo, uSipho Chaine. Ithuba leSundowns eliphakamise amaphaphu litholwe nguGrant Kekana ngesikhathi ibhola lakhe alingqofe kuyikhona lishaya ipali liphumela ngaphandle.
Esiwombeni sesibili, iSundowns ibuye nomfutho isifake u-Arthur Sales endaweni kaPeter Shalulile. Nakuba abafana bakaCardoso bebelokhu bengqongqoze njalo kodwa udonga lwasemuva lwePirates belungafuni lutho. Nokho lugcine libhodlokile ngomzuzu ka-66 ngesikhathi uMudau eqobela phakathi ibhola lika-Iqraam Rayners.
