Sunday, October 3, 2010

Pirates crowned MTN8 champions

Orlando Pirates were crowned 2010 MTN8 champions after Lucky Lekgwathi scored the final penalty in a penalty shoot-out against Moroka Swallows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday night.
The game finished 1-1 after 120 minutes of football and looking at the overall play on the night, Pirates were definitely the better side and deserved to lift the MTN8 trophy, ending a ten-year drought without a domestic trophy.
The Buccaneers certainly started the better of the two sides and applied pressure on the Swallows defence from the word go. Pirates made good use of the ball, passing it nicely and using the flanks to good effect.
Consequently, the first chance of the game, in the sixth minute, went the way of Pirates. Dikgang Mabalane attacked down the right wing and whipped in an inviting cross which was met by the head of Ezenwa Otorugu, but his effort was a poor one and sailed over the crossbar.
Thereafter Pirates continued to press forward and it was only a matter of time before they found the game’s opening goal, that goal coming the way of the penalty spot in the 19th minute.
Some great build-up play by Thulasizwe Mbuyane and Daine Klate saw them set Otorugu through on goal and with only the keeper to beat, the Buccaneers striker proceeded to round Aubrey Mathibe but was pulled down by the trailing leg of the keeper.
The referee did not hesitate in pointing to the spot and Klate made no mistake, coolly and calmly, sending the keeper the wrong way to give his side the lead, 1-0.
Although Swallows were virtually non-existent in the first 45 minutes, and were completely outplayed by Pirates, they did almost find an equaliser in the 21st minute.
Keegan Ritchie whipped in a tantalising cross from the right that found its way past all inside the box and was on target. Only the cat-like reflexes of Moneeb Josephs prevented the Birds from equalising as he made a great last-second save.
Six minutes later, Pirates should have doubled their lead when a quick counter-attack by them saw Mbuyane with a chance on goal. The Buccaneers man beat one defender inside the box and fired a shot goalwards, but a brilliant piece of goalkeeping from Mathibe, diving full stretch to his right to make the finger-tip save, denied him.
Again Pirates should have doubled their lead four minutes from the break when Mabalane found himself in a one-on-one situation with Mathibe, but again the Birds keeper produced a good save to deny the attacker.
The half-time break couldn’t come quick enough for Swallows as they struggled to get hold of the ball in the entire opening stanza. They would have to make some drastic changes if they were to find their way back into this MTN8 final.
The second half started in very similar fashion to the first, with Pirates doing all the pressing and applying some stiff pressure on the Swallows goal. The Birds' defence, however, seemed to stand strong as the Buccaneers struggled to create any decent goal-scoring chances.
In fact, although Pirates controlled possession, the first decent chance of the half went the way of Swallows in the 56th minute. A deep cross from the right by Phaladi Kobola found Siyabonga Nomvethe unmarked at the back post.
The Birds striker did brilliantly to volley the ball goalwards from an acute angle, but Josephs was on hand to make a good save low to his left.
Then in the 86th minute Pirates were made to pay the ultimate price for not converting all their goal-scoring chances as Swallows found the equaliser they so desperately needed four minutes from time.
The Birds' fighting spirit once again emerged as Gareth Ncaca whipped a left sided free-kick into the box. Morgan Shivambu rose highest to flick the ball past Josephs and into the back of the net: 1-1. With that goal Swallows had equalised and the 90 minutes ended all square.
The first period of extra time again saw Pirates dictating terms and controlling possession, but again they were unable to take their chances in front of goal.
The closest Buccaneers came to scoring was a long-range shot from Clifford Ngobeni in the 104th minute, but Greg Etafia was up for the challenge and made a fantastic acrobatic save.
The second half of extra time saw no chances on goal and the game finished 1-1 after 120 minutes. That saw the match move into a penalty shoot-out.
In the shoot-out Siyabonga Nomvethe missed for Swallows while Josephs saved a Kagiso Mashishi penalty. In the end it was left for Lucky Lekgwathi to convert for the Buccaneers, which he coolly did and handed Pirates the 2010 MTN8 Cup.
Orlando Pirates (1) 1 (Klate 19’ pen)
Moroka Swallows (0) 1 (Shivhambu 86’)
Pirates won 4-2 on penalties
Teams
Pirates: Josephs; Jele, Lekgwathi, Rooi, Cloete, Mabalane (Segolela 67’), Jali, Chansa, Klate, Mbuyane (Mashego 66’), Otorgugu (Ngobeni 77’)
Swallows: Mathibe (Etafia 46’); Kobola, Da Costa, Mphahlele, Richie, Nergadze (Mashishi 74’), Shivambu, Ncaca, Leonard, Machapa (Haschick 71’), Nomvethe.

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