Orlando Pirates will be hoping to put an end to their dismal cup-final record when they face Baroka FC in the Telkom Knockout Cup final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Milutin Sredojevic’s side are one game away from clinching their first official bit of silverware since 2014, when they lifted the Nedbank Cup in a 3-1 victory against Bidvest Wits at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Since the infamous double treble days, the Buccaneers have been somewhat unlucky in terms of cup finals, not having tasted success in the last four years, despite reaching the finals of those cup competitions.
Kaizer Chiefs defender Tefu Mashamaite’s lone strike in the final of the 2015 MTN8 Cup final began Pirates’ unlucky streak in the final.
The Sea Robbers were robbed of continental success in the same year, after Tunisian powerhouse Etoile du Sahel got the better of them in the final of the Caf Confederation Cup.
A year later, Pirates suffered their heaviest loss in a cup final in recent years, going down 4-1 to SuperSport United as Matsatsantsa became the first-ever club to retain the Nedbank Cup title.
Baroka, who will be competing in their maiden cup final, made their name as giant-killers in South Africa’s version of the FA Cup when they beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in 2011.
Bakgaga will be hoping to cause another major upset, this time against Pirates when the two sides face off in the final of the Telkom Knockout Cup on Saturday 8 December, with kick-off set for 6pm.
Pirates will be keen to put an end to their four-year trophy drought as they look to clinch their second Telkom Knockout title since defeating Bidvest Wits in the 2010 version of the final.
It’s all over in Durban! The Bucs’ dominance over their cross-town rivals continues. And it’s onwards to Port Elizabeth for the Telkom Knockout Final. #TKO2018 pic.twitter.com/UnEdTRT40A
— Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) November 24, 2018
Orlando Pirates’ past five cup finals:
2017: Pirates 1-4 SuperSport United (Nedbank Cup)
2016: Pirates 2-3 SuperSport United (Nedbank Cup)
2015: Pirates 0-1 Etoile du Sahel (Caf Confederation Cup)
2015: Pirates 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs (MTN8)
2014: Pirates 3-1 Bidvest Wits (Nedbank Cup)
Photo: Orlando Pirates official twitter account
