IT'S NOW Orlando Pirates versus Platinum Stars in the final of the prestigious MTN8.
Dikwena's disciplined game plan against BidVest Wits at Milpark Stadium last night booked them a place in Saturday's final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
They beat Wits 2-1 in the second leg, for a 6-3 aggregate victory.
Pirates were the first to advanced to the final after beating arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 on aggregate in Soweto earlier in the day.
The two Soweto giants played to a 1-all draw yesterday, but the Buccaneers went through after winning the first leg 1-0 last month.
Wits tried to play at high tempo to score the two goals they needed at Milpark Park last night, reports Marc Strydom.
But a defensive lapse allowed Robert N'gambi to put Stars 1-0 up in the 60th minute. Denver Mukamba pulled one back in the 72nd minute, but N'gambi's second six minutes later sent Gavin Hunt's Students back to school.
On a compact pitch that has served the Students so well as a fortress home ground, Wits struggled to find the width to pull the Stars defence open, so had to rely on a frenetic tempo to find spaces.
Stars really were like platinum in defence for the opening 25 minutes. Siphelele Mthembu's rocket skimmed over the bar and almost made the game safe for Stars in the 47th. In the 60th minute it was all over for Wits.
Vuyo Mere's cross from the right bounced awkwardly behind Wits defender Tinashe Nengomasha and goalie Moeneeb Josephs could only parry. The rebound fell for N'gambi to finish into an open goal.
N'gambi combined with Mere again, scrambling in the full-back's cross to seal a famous win for Stars.
l At Orlando Stadium, it was Lennox Bacela's equaliser that steered Pirates, the Caf Champions League semifinalists, to the final, writes Ramatsiyi Moholoa.
Pirates reshuffled their defence by resting captain Lucky Lekgwathi. Thabo Matlaba was relegated to the bench and Siyabonga Sangweni was handed the captain's armband.
Patrick Phungwayo got a rare start operating in his specialist position on the left flank. As for Chiefs, Siboniso Gaxa was back from injury.
Bucs dominated the midfield early on with Oupa Manyisa and Lehlogonolo Masalesa combining well in their build-ups but could not break the Chiefs wall.
Chiefs' striker Knowledge Musona tested Senzo Meyiwa in the 15th minute with a thunderous shot, but the Pirates goalkeeper brilliantly fisted it for a corner.
Amakhosi broke the deadlock through Bernard Parker in the 36th minute. The hosts, however, equalised in the 75th minute from the penalty spot after Morgan Gould was penalised for pulling Rooi Mahamutsa's shirt. Bacela sent Khune the wrong way.
Pirates, Stars for MTN8 final
IT'S NOW Orlando Pirates versus Platinum Stars in the final of the prestigious MTN8.
Dikwena's disciplined game plan against BidVest Wits at Milpark Stadium last night booked them a place in Saturday's final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
They beat Wits 2-1 in the second leg, for a 6-3 aggregate victory.
Pirates were the first to advanced to the final after beating arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 on aggregate in Soweto earlier in the day.
The two Soweto giants played to a 1-all draw yesterday, but the Buccaneers went through after winning the first leg 1-0 last month.
Wits tried to play at high tempo to score the two goals they needed at Milpark Park last night, reports Marc Strydom.
But a defensive lapse allowed Robert N'gambi to put Stars 1-0 up in the 60th minute. Denver Mukamba pulled one back in the 72nd minute, but N'gambi's second six minutes later sent Gavin Hunt's Students back to school.
On a compact pitch that has served the Students so well as a fortress home ground, Wits struggled to find the width to pull the Stars defence open, so had to rely on a frenetic tempo to find spaces.
Stars really were like platinum in defence for the opening 25 minutes. Siphelele Mthembu's rocket skimmed over the bar and almost made the game safe for Stars in the 47th. In the 60th minute it was all over for Wits.
Vuyo Mere's cross from the right bounced awkwardly behind Wits defender Tinashe Nengomasha and goalie Moeneeb Josephs could only parry. The rebound fell for N'gambi to finish into an open goal.
N'gambi combined with Mere again, scrambling in the full-back's cross to seal a famous win for Stars.
l At Orlando Stadium, it was Lennox Bacela's equaliser that steered Pirates, the Caf Champions League semifinalists, to the final, writes Ramatsiyi Moholoa.
Pirates reshuffled their defence by resting captain Lucky Lekgwathi. Thabo Matlaba was relegated to the bench and Siyabonga Sangweni was handed the captain's armband.
Patrick Phungwayo got a rare start operating in his specialist position on the left flank. As for Chiefs, Siboniso Gaxa was back from injury.
Bucs dominated the midfield early on with Oupa Manyisa and Lehlogonolo Masalesa combining well in their build-ups but could not break the Chiefs wall.
Chiefs' striker Knowledge Musona tested Senzo Meyiwa in the 15th minute with a thunderous shot, but the Pirates goalkeeper brilliantly fisted it for a corner.
Amakhosi broke the deadlock through Bernard Parker in the 36th minute. The hosts, however, equalised in the 75th minute from the penalty spot after Morgan Gould was penalised for pulling Rooi Mahamutsa's shirt. Bacela sent Khune the wrong way.
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