Wits thrust Pirates out of the MTN8 cup

Bidvest Wits were gifted two soft goals from goalkeeping errors, which was the difference in the end in their tightly-contested 2-1 MTN8 quarterfinal victory against Orlando Pirates at Bidvest Stadium on Saturday night.

Oupa Manyisa opened the scoring for Pirates with a 14th-minute penalty.

Buhle Mkhwanazi (38th) and Thulani Hlatshwayo's (76th) answers for Wits were due in no small part to Bucs goalkeeper Felipe Ovono's inability to hold the ball.

Pirates coach Muhsin Ertugral gave a debut to his two new signings from Ajax Cape Town, Abbubaker Mobara in defensive midfield and Riyaad Norodien at right wing.

The new Bucs coach's persistence with Ovono in goal did not work for Bucs.

Wits' Gavin Hunt debuted new forward from Mamelodi Sundowns Mogakolodi Ngele.

Neither side could quite get into gear in a closely-contested first half.

Bucs took the lead when Thabo Matlaba burst into the area and was brought down Bongani Khumalo. Manyisa stepped up and calmly slotted low past Moeneeb Josephs.

Wits equalised scrappily as, from Gabadinho Mhango's corner, Ovono committed his second blunder in two games, spilling over his own line.

Soon after the restart Tendai Ndoro was put through for a run, one-on-one with goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs. The Bucs striker beat the keeper but not the left upright.

Thabang Monare's dipping drive skimmed the crossbar for Wits in the 64th.

Ndoro was through again, and went past Josephs, but took the ball wide doing so, and could not shoot on tareget with an open goal beckoning.

Ovono had continued to spill the ball in the second half and did again from Elias Pelembe's relatively tame shot, allowing Hlatshwayo a tap-in and Wits another soft goal.