Johannesburg — The Buccaneers remain on course for a cup double following this victory that they were essentially gifted by the lower division side that kicked a gift horse in the mouth.
Having managed to hold their illustrious opposition until after extra time, Dondol Stars had an opportunity to steal the match via penalties.
But Whitehead Maneka took the fact wore jersey number ten to head to seriously, the Dondol Stars ‘talisman’ going the fancy route with his kick from the penalty spot only to literally gift Sipho Chaine a save.
The last man to kick after four of his teammates had all scored, the man who came on as a substitute to be too clever and literally tapped the ball somehow believing he had fooled the Pirates goalkeeper to go the other way. But he had not and Chaine made the easiest of saves before Sandile Mthethwa converted to send the Buccaneers into the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup.
The first half came and went without any of the goalkeepers scooping the ball from inside their net although that was not because the two sides were in defensive mode. Far from it, for there was action galore in either third of the field.
What was missing was good final decision-making as well as proper finishing, the Pirates forwards in particular seeming to have left their shooting boots back in Johannesburg as they hardly ever managed to get any of their attempts on target as Thembinkosi Lorch worked his socks off to create chances.
Yet while the Buccaneers enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and frequented their opponent’s half much more than they had to defend their own, Stars would have been justified going into recess feeling they were ‘robbed’.
Three minutes before the half-hour mark, the ABC Motsepe League Gauteng club had what appeared legitimate calls for a penalty kick inconceivably waved away by referee Akhona Makalima and her assistant Xolani Boneni. Yet closer inspection of the incident seemed to suggest that Tebogo Makungo was hacked inside the box by Paseka Mako as he looked to find his way to beating Sipho Chaine and the hosts should have been given the spot-kick.
The third tier outfit, while outplayed in the possession stakes, hardly looked overawed by their opposition’ lofty status and attacked purposely with confidence. And they worked their way into the Pirates danger area on numerous occasions only to be let down by poor decision making, players opting to shoot while passing appeared the best option or vice-versa. And a lot of their shots were off target, with Chaine hardly having to make a save in the initial stanza.
Things changed after the break with Pirates taking the lead ten minutes in although the officials looked to have erred in the Buccaneers’ favour once more. Lorch combined well with substitute Kermit Erasmus, before the former slotted home from inside the box. But Erasmus was in an offside position when he received the pass from Lorch before sending him through.
Stars did not despair though and immediately responded with an attack of their own and from the resultant corner kick Makhungo headed in the equaliser unchallenged.
Twice Pirates nearly scored the equaliser with Nkosinathi Sibisi coming agonisingly close with a low shot fronm inside the box following a good Monnapule Saleng free kick. But the ball crashed against the inside of the upright and went back into play with Siphamandla Gumede in the Stars goal a beaten man.
Shortly thereafter Gumede pulled off a fantastic save to parry over a powerful shot by Bandile Shandu to force extra time that failed to produce any goal thanks to Gumede proving impenetrable and making some good saves. Lorch should ahve scored though but the Pirates talisman hoofed the ball over with the goal at his mercy.
For Stars Makungo nearly scored a second in a counter-attack but a back-pedalling Chaine managed to push over the striker’s shot from range, ensuring that the match was decided via sot kicks.
IOL Sport