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Orlando Pirates through to TKO semis

Samuel Darpoh of Amazulu FC and Justin Shonga of Orlando Pirates during the Telkom Knockout quarter final match AmaZulu FC and Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on November 03, 2018 in Durban, South Africa.
Samuel Darpoh of Amazulu FC and Justin Shonga of Orlando Pirates during the Telkom Knockout quarter final match AmaZulu FC and Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on November 03, 2018 in Durban, South Africa.
Image: Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images

The crusade to heal the souls of the Orlando Pirates supporters who have suffered a four year trophy drought continued when the Buccaneers surged to the semifinals of the Telkom Knockout at the expense of AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night.

Xola Mlambo was in the mood to show off as he expertly executed tantalising passes with gay abandon.

One such pass not only eluded but also unhinged the bearings of the Usuthu defence. It landed invitingly for Thembinkosi Lorch.

The ball cried out for a tap into the net. Disappointingly Lorch directed it into the hands of Mbatha.

It was the combination of Lorch and Vincent Pule that provide the wind beneath the sails of the Sea Robbers ship when it cruised to the lead.

The former flicked a clearance from the back to the latter who played a pass into space that launched Lorch into a race for the ball.

The pacey forward left the AmaZulu rearguard for dead before atoning for his earlier flop by poking the pigskin past the on-rushing Mbatha for the game’s opener.

The Bucs celebrations were reduced into a three minute quickie when Bonginkosi Ntuli nullified their lead with a header past Siyabonga Mponthane.

Mpontshane was wide awake to the danger and kept out an attempt from Ghanaian Samuel Darpoh.

His Argentina teammate Emiliano Tade came agonisingly wide when he delivered a Surpise Moriri like top drawer first touch with the right foot before letting lose with the left but missed the target by a few inches.

When Pirates piled the pressure, Mlambo was the central cog, rousing the crowd to raise the roof of the cathedral.

One of his well-weighted deliveries found Pule in with time and space to pick his spot. He rushed it and his shot whisked past the upright.

Pule was denied a chance to restore Bucs’ lead when he cut inside from the right but his drive drew a save off Mbatha.

In the earlier exchanges, two penalty protests were waved away by referee Victor Hlungwani. AmaZulu argued that Siyethemba Sithebe was appended inside the box while Pirates protested that their former leftback Marc Van Heerden handled in the area.

The sooner Augustine Mulenga and Justin Shonga do for club what they do for country the better it would be for Pirates. For Zambia, the countrymen combine to clinical effect and the wish among The Ghost is to see that form replicated in club colours.

A moment of silence was observed before kick-off for Royal Eagles coach Roger Sikhakhane who passed away on Saturday morning.

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