Orlando Pirates secured a 2-1 victory against Bloemfontein Celtic in their Nedbank Cup quarter-final encounter at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday night, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.
Kjell Jonevret made two changes from the squad that drew 0-0 against Highlands Park in their Absa Premiership encounter, with Patrick Phungwayo and Thabo Rakhale being restored to the line-up.
Bloemfontein Celtic made three changes from the squad that went down 2-0 to Kaizer Chiefs, with Mpho Maruping, Wandisile Letlabika and Sibusiso Mxoyana returning to the starting line-up.
The home side started the brighter of the two sides and did all the probing in the opening exchanges, with Thabo Rakhale and Tendai Ndoro looking particularly dangerous.
Celtic saw much less of the ball than their opponents, but they seemed content with that as they looked to utilise the pace of their wingers with their counter-attack strategy.
Pirates failed to muster a way past the Celtic defence as the two teams went into the half-time break deadlocked at 0-0.
Celtic emerged as a more organised unit in the second half and signalled their attacking intent as they launched numbers forward in search of the opener, but found goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane was equal to every task.
Pirates took the lead in the 51st minute when Issa Sarr’s defence-splitting pass found Abbubaker Mobara, who made no mistake from within the area to open his account for the Mayfair based-outfit.
Jonevret’s side started to drop deeper in their own half as they looked to contain the Celtic attack.
Substitute Thamsanqa Gabuza wasted a great opportunity to put the game to bed in the 80th minute when he got on to the end of Rakhale’s ball, but his tame header was easily dealt with by Patrick Tignyemb.
Celtic were rewarded for their continuous attacking efforts when substitute Kabelo Mahlasela managed to draw level in the 85th minute, after being allowed too much space and time on the ball.
Mahlasela had an excellent chance to seal the game and grab his brace when he was put through on goal by Musa Nyatama in the 90th minute, but the presence of onrushing Mpontshane did well to put the midfielder off.
The two sides could not find a way past one another in regulation time and headed into extra time with the scores deadlocked at 1-1.
Lyle Lakay should have given his side the lead in the 103 minute when he beat the offside trap and ran into the path of Mahlasela’s low cross, but the winger proved to be in two minds and missed the ball completely with the Pirates defence well-beaten.
Mahlasela capitalised on a mistake from captain Oupa Manyisa in the 113th minute. and despite getting the beating of the Pirates defence, the midfielder blazed his effort over the bar.
Celtic would rue their numerous missed chances as Pirates advanced to the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup with a 2-1 victory.
The Soweto giants join Chippa United, Golden Arrows and SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, with the draw set to take place on Monday 24 April.
Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/Backpagepix
