Nedbank Cup Final
Half Time: Bidvest Wits 1-3 Orlando Pirates
Date: 17 May 2014
Venue: Moses Mabhida stadium
A second half brace from Kermit Erasmus saw Orlando Pirates come from behind to beat Bidvest Wits 3-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon to be crowned the 2014 Nedbank Cup champions.
It was a positive start to the game by the Buccaneers who created their first chance on goal in the opening minute of the match when Erasmus broke into the box, but saw his 14-yard shot superbly saved by Moneeb Josephs.
Pirates continued to dominate the possession stakes after that, but they lacked imagination in the final third and struggled to fashion any more decent chances in front of goal.
Instead, the goal came at the other end of the park in the 26th minute, very much against the run of play.
A long ball into the box was poorly dealt with by the Buccaneers defence and Jabulani Shongwe made the most of it when he fired his side in front from six-yards out at an acute angle on the left, 1-0.
The goal gave the Clever Boys some confidence and they came close to doubling their side's lead in the 37th minute when Sthembiso Ngcobo met a left-wing free-kick at the back post, but he headed just wide from close range.
Pirates only other decent effort of the half was a long range shot from Thabo Matlaba which sailed narrowly over the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
The start of the second half saw the Buccaneers applying all the pressure and they were rewarded with the equalising goal in the 53rd minute.
Oupa Manyisa broke into the right side of the box before squaring for Erasmus whose shot from 14-yards out was deflected into the net, 1-1.
Ten minutes later and Pirates took the lead.
Manyisa was the creator yet again, in a similar fashion to the first goal when he drove to the by-line before cutting back for Sifiso Myeni to toe-poke home from a couple of yards out, 2-1.
Erasmus then put the result beyond doubt in the 72nd minute with his second goal of the afternoon after powering a loose ball into the bottom left-hand corner from 14-yards out, 3-1.
Wits tried to find their way back into the match, but could not breach the Pirates defence and the Buccaneers were crowned the 2014 Nedbank Cup Champions.
