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| Thabo Matlaba |
Daine Klate of Orlando Pirates and Abel Mabaso of Black Aces during their Telkom Knockout last-16 match at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit last night Photo: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu
After an end-to-end first half left the sides deadlocked on a goal apiece by Lennox Bacela for Pirates and Mabhuti Khenyeza for Aces, the Buccaneers piled on the pressure.
But it wasn't until Bacela's second in the 86th minute that Pirates could entertain reaching the quarter-finals with any certainty. Oupa Manyisa's third with the last kick five minutes into injury time sealed an emphatic win. Bucs, losers on penalties against Platinum Stars in the MTN8 final two weeks ago, meet Lamontville Golden Arrows at home in the quarters.
On the one side were Roger de Sa's array of Bucs stars, on the other a team of expensively assembled ball-players overseen by an SA football traditionalist in Clive Barker.
It made for an exciting evening's football on a once-maligned pitch that was near-perfect last night.
For Bucs, Tlou Segolela started on the right in place of the rested Sifiso Myeni. Barker had the physical presence of central midfielder Onyekachi Okonkwo next to a razor-sharp Khenyeza up-front. Aces may or may not finish high in the league or challenge for a cup this season, but they will entertain.
Khenyeza showed his menace early, heading just over and then shooting wide after being teed up by Themba Zwane. A Pirates four-on-two saw Bacela force a one-handed save from Aces goalkeeper Bafana Nhlapo.
Then Zwane's scorcher of a drive struck Bucs' crossbar. Bucs stepped things up. Klate could not sweep past Nhlapo, then Bacela's header was between Nhlapo and the left upright, from Happy Jele's cross, to open the scoring in the 30th minute.
But Aces got a deserved equaliser a minute into injury time of the first half. Lively winger Thabo Qalinge, one of the few remnants from last season's promotion squad, was free on the left, beat Senzo Meyiwa and squared for Khenyeza to finish into an open goal. Pirates had Aces caught for numbers again early in the second half, but Thabo Matlaba hit hard and high. Then Jele's skidding shot struck the upright.
In the 69th minute, Segolela got on the end of Matlaba's cross from deep and volleyed onto the right upright, with Klate's shot from the rebound deflected. Aces brought on another skill merchant, Mark Mayambela, for Okonkwo in the 73rd minute, to boos from the ex-Bucs midfielder's one-time supporters. But Pirates were in control now, as Rooi Mahamutsa nodded high from close range after Gcaba's header across goal from a corner.
In the 82nd minute, Andile Jali's run into the area saw Aces clear Bacela and Klate's efforts desperately off the line. Finally, after Segolela's run from the right, Klate teed up Bacela, who swept in an 86th-minute winner. Bacela then slipped Manyisa through to finish between Nhlapo's legs.
Source : sowetanlive.co.za
Tags : psl,telkom knockout,pirates,aces, last 16
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