Pirates Outwit Sundowns To Advance
28 August 2011
MTN 8
Date: 28 August 2011
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 1-1 Orlando Pirates (Agg: 3-4)
Venue: Loftus Versveld
Referee: Robert Smith
Orlando Pirates produced a tactical masterclass to hold Mamelodi Sundowns 1-1 and advance 4-3 on aggregate to the MTN 8 final at Loftus Versveld this afternoon.
The pace of Dikgang Mabalane and Tlou Segolela on the flanks for Orlando Pirates was always going to be a threat and the pair showed early signs of promise on the counter as Sundowns pushed forward in search of the opener.
Segolela, who earned the Man Of The Match award for his efforts of the first leg, cut in from the left to fire an early shot over the bar. The Polokwane speedster then caught Sundowns skipper Method Mwanjale in possession but could not get around Downs keeper Wayne Sandilands.
Pirates were giving Sundowns very little time on the ball and Thulasizwe Mbuyane looked to repeat his heroics of previous games with a strike over the crossbar to round off the first quarter.
Teko Modise came close to scoring against his former team with a shot that was deflected behind for the corner in the 20th minute, but the Navigator would have been better off playing in the fortuitously placed Katlego Mphela.
Two minutes later, Oupa Manyisa smashed a free-kick from the edge of the area straight into the Sundowns wall as Pirates ended the half in the ascendancy, just as they had done in the first leg. The Brazilians have been unable to break the shackles imposed on them by the Jali-Manyisa axis.
Sundowns came out after the interval playing with more urgency and an entertaining passage of play between Legohang Mokoena and Pelembe saw Mphela gifted with an opportunity but Sandilands got behind the strike well. The goal seemed inevitable however and in the 63rd minute, Mokoena prised open the Pirates defence with an elegant chip for Pelembe, who smashed the ball into the top corner for the opener.
Pirates were behind on away goals and they looked to rectify matters immediately through Mabalane but the Juju man's header sailed over the bar from close range. A hallmark of the Bucanneers' title-winning season was their ability to produce the goods when the chips were down and Oupa Manyisa did just that with an astonishing strike from 35 yards out that would have given better keepers than Wayne Sandilands no chance. Sundowns' lead had lasted all of seven minutes and they were chasing the game once more.
Sundowns substitute Mabhudi Khenyeza was booked for an elaborate dive in the Pirates area as the Brazilians looked to force their way back into the game. Pirates sub Sameegh Doutie spurned an opportunity to kill off Sundowns with his first touch of the game when he shot wide from close range ten minutes from time after Mbuyane had gone on a barnstorming run.
Bongane Ndulula produces one of the misses of the season, miscuing from close-range after Segolela had done all the spadework on the flank. The chances were continuing to come for the Sea Robbers but they did not need them as they forced their way into yet another final showdown with Kaizer Chiefs.
Mamelodi Sundowns: Sandilands, Xulu, Masenamela, Mphahlela, Mwanjale, Moriri, Nyatama, Pelembe, Modise, Mokoena (Khenyeza 74'), Mphela
Orlando Pirates: Josephs, Cloete, Lekgwathi, Sangweni, Jele, Manyisa, Jali, Segolela (Mahamutsa 90'), Mabalane (Ndulula 72')), Mabena (Doutie 79'), Mbuyane
Goal: Elias Pelembe 63' (Sundowns), Oupa Manyisa 70' (Pirates)
comments
My wish granted,I will have raaats for lunch on 10 th of septemberr!
Submitted by: gundolife@hotmail.com
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 14:06:15
WHO IS THIS KHOSIVICH- JEERRRR THE GUY IS JST PLAIN STU...???
Submitted by: Glam-bucz99
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 12:52:04
@ kelebogile sumtimes its gud 2 giv credit wher it is due, jst admit it sunflops is our daily bread.
Submitted by: Glam-bucz99
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 12:41:50
Jelas idiots mst go nd stay with pigs in a pigsty cos thts wher thy belong
Submitted by: Mtho4lyf
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 12:33:28
Xavi Iniesta of O.P guys yr combination makes the world go round,the mst talk abt playas in S.A.weldn boys
Submitted by: Mtho4lyf
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 12:29:46
Sunflops Have been bliksemed 4 times in a row. More to come.
Submitted by: lalo
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 12:18:05
hate it or love it the bucs r on top! eish mara dis team is lyk dat train in unstopable, robert mugabe on power, malema wit a microphone, UP DA BUCS!
Submitted by: SHAKESsss
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 11:45:57
@mtho4lyf! young? the dude is old, we knw young guys lyk bale, messi, ntshumayelo! they are all young! bt they dnt go out 2 destroy players carriers lyk dat!!! nd i didnt destroy teko! i critisised teko! nd he hs lifted hs game, m nt here 2 make 4riends with u baba, and i dnt need yo opinion, 4 that matter, there are ppl hu ryt worse thngs than me, so dnt try 2 play judge with me bra!
Submitted by: shaloti
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 11:21:02
ha ha ha reading some of your coments makes me laugh, it doens't really help to argue with retards. soccer is a contact spot, you fight for the ball especially in the middlefiled. Infact the chiefs/ ajax game was more physical than the OP and Sundowns but you can't school 30year olds about soccer now, ITS TOO LATE
Submitted by: soccermaniac
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 11:11:42
Good people that is how this game is played, you dnt just let a mosquito to just have a go at you in front of thousands of people.. Refs are there to judge, who are we to come here and blame Jali and Jele. Sibaya went to play in Russia and he was the same as Jali. The Holding middle field Player must be tough. To those who did listen to Sibaya @ Ukhozi Fm some few weeks back will remember him saying Shabba and Yeye used to tell him to be hard on opponents when the going get tough. Yah Shabba and Yeye are the promoters of hard tackling.
Submitted by: Mjeyie
Date: 29 August 2011, Time: 11:08:01