Orlando Pirates are on course to defend their MTN8 crown after a thumping 3-1 victory over SuperSport United in extra-time at Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.
Matsatsantsa started better as former Pirates winger Vincent Pule found Bradley Grobler in the box three minutes in, with his header off target.
In the fourth minute, Pule was brought down just outside the Pirates but Neo Rapoo’s resulting free-kick hit the Pirates wall and out for a throw-in.
Pirates’ struggle with fluidity allowed Pule to have an 11th-minute attempt at goal which missed the target.
Relebohile Mofokeng with perhaps the miss of the evening in the 17th minute skied his shot with just Ricardo Goss to beat.
Tshegofatso Mabasa turned Pogiso Sanoka inside out and unleashed a shot, but Goss pulled off a great save for a corner in the 23rd minute.
Goss was forced into another save a minute later when Patrick Maswanganyi tried his luck from range.
Newly installed skipper Olisah Ndah with a cheeky dummy in 44th-minute gave Pirates a 1-0 lead, as Bucs took the slight advantage into the break.
Pule made it 1-1 five minutes later, getting on the end of Grobler’s assist to head past an onrushing Sipho Chaine.
A wrong-footed Goss made a goal-line clearance from Mofokeng’s shot in the 61st minute.
On the 63rd minute mark, the Bafana Bafana shot stopper dived low to again deny Mofokeng.
In the 75th minute, Mabasa missed an open net after Goss parried Saleng’s shot into play, as the match went into extra-time at 1-1.
Saleng made it 2-1 two minutes into extra-time with an easy tap at the far post from Kabelo Dlamini’s low cross.
Chaine kept his side ahead with a well-timed close range save from Nyiko Mobbie in the 97th minute.
It was game, set and match in the 108th minute as substitute Evidence Makgopa capitalized on Goss’ interception on Saleng, to slot into the open net and make it 3-1.
Pirates survived the late onslaught to become the first side to progress to the semi-finals and remain in contention to keep hold their Wafa Wafa title.
