Orlando Pirates youngster Mohau Nkota lit up the Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers, netting a brace as Buccaneers beat CR Belouizdad 2-1.
Pirates had a dream start infront of thousands of Belouizdad supporters when Nkota scored the opening goal in the fourth minute after he was set up by Relebohile Mofokeng.
Seven minutes later, Belouizdad had an opportunity to equalize, but Sipho Chaine produced a double save and kept Pirates in front.
After 14 minutes of football, Nkota had a glorious opportunity to double the lead, but Belouizdad goalkeeper Moustapha Zaghba made a brilliant save.
The Buccaneers made it 2-0 with Nkota completing a brace after scoring a scorcher from just outside the box.
Pirates went into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead, while, Belouizdad needed something special to overturn the deficit.
The Algerian champions came back in the second half gun blazing, looking for that one goal that would bring them back into the game.
Pirates’ solid defense finally was opened by the Bafana Bafana striker Khanyisa Mayo who netted in the 66th minute with a header to make it 1-2 and set up a grand finale.
But the Buccaneers held on to their slim lead to collect an important three points in Algeria, while defending champions Al Ahly hammered Ivorian side Stade d’Abidjan 4-2 in the other Group C fixture.
