Orlando Pirates(0) 1- Chansa 48
Kaizer Chiefs(0) 1 -Musona 60
A pitch invader sprinted onto the Soccer City pitch late yesterday, whether in celebration, fury, or just plain drunken foolhardiness it was hard to tell.
For Amakhosi and Buccaneers fans, there is certainly nothing to celebrate or commiserate yet, as this MTN8 semifinal remains on a knife edge after a pulsating first leg.
In a game far better than any of the three goalless draws last season between these two sides, it is Chiefs who will feel they have a slight advantage, thanks to Knowledge Musona's away goal.
A goalless draw would win it for the Amakhosi at the same venue on September 26, though Pirates will be confident they can break down a Chiefs defence that looked particularly vulnerable from set pieces. There was little that looked solid about either defence, frankly, in a thrilling game that must have entertained all in an eventually fairly packed stadium.
The fact was that vast orange swathes of seating were still visible inside this venue, with fans seemingly continuing their habit of turning up to the ground as late as possible. By half time, the attendance had probably doubled, and those that only turned up at the break missed a fairly entertaining, goalless first half.
It took just 56 seconds for the first shot of the game, Isaac Chansa's low fizzer warming the palms of Itumelelg Khune.
It was actually Chiefs, however, who settled into their rhythm better than Pirates, with Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Mthokozisi Yende zipping the ball around in the centre of midfield. Letsholonyane, indeed, almost sent Sthembiso Ngcobo sprinting away from a brisk Amakhosi counter, but Pirates midfielder Chansa did brilliantly to bomb fully 50 metres down the pitch to cover Musona's run.
Pirates came surging back, and Teko Modise, a surprise starter who was hugging the right touchline for much of the game, whipped in a low cross that Valery Nahayo steered just wide of his own goal.
From the resulting corner, Daine Klate's whipped ball in found Happy Jele's head at the back post, but Khune parried, and Jele's second effort was blocked away.
Chiefs then created their best chance of the game thus far, Musona skipping past his man and firing in a vicious shot that Josephs did well to parry behind for a corner.
Siphiwe Tshabalala's free kick then found Dominic Isaacs at the back post, and Josephs saved again.
