Orlando Pirates Reserves tumbled out of the DStv Diski Shield after a 2-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in their quarter-final meeting at Wits University Stadium on Saturday, despite a brave finish.
The two rivals met for the first time in knockout football after scoring 10 goals in their two league meetings in the previous season.
The first 45 minutes passed without a goal being scored, however each team had a couple chances to score but failed to capitalise.
Sundowns might have made it 1-0 with their opening assault of the game, but Bucs goalie Ephraim Mothibedi’s spatial awareness prevented what appeared to be a certain goal in the first minute.
Soon after, the Buccaneers had their first attempt on goal, but Lucky Bule’s effort from a good distance out sailed well wide of the goal posts.
Their first effort on goal came from striker Mehluleli Maphumulo, whose header from the outside of the penalty area was easily saved by the goalie.
However, the majority of the attacking play in the first half came from the men in yellow, who caused some nervous moments in the Bucs camp before being thwarted by some good defensive play from the likes of Ofentse Mothapo and his skipper Morapedi Ralenkoane, as well as Mothibedi, who kept things deadlocked going into the half.
The second half began similarly to the first, with Mothibedi being called upon shortly after the referee blew for kick-off. The Bucs shot-stopper was on top of things once more, making an easy save in the 48th minute to keep Tshwane out.
In the 59th minute, Mothibedi did everything right in keeping out a long ball towards his goal, only for the ball to bounce twice on the crossbar before falling to Cassius Mailula, who headed the ball into the net to put Sundowns ahead.
The Bucs Reserves’ bad afternoon continued as they trailed by two goals with less than 20 minutes remaining as Mailula increased his tally in the match with another strike.
Pirates had to wait until far into injury time before pulling one back when second-half replacement Mohau Nkota’s pass into the box was deflected into the net by a Sundowns player to make it 2-1.
The late comeback, however, proved insufficient, as Sundowns held fast to emerge as champions on the day and advance to the next round of the competition.
Pirates Reserves XI: Mothibedi, Spandiel, Ngiba, Ralenkoane, Mothapo, Mndebele, Bule, Khoto (Ndaba 78’), Matjeni (Mdunge 55’), Ndlozi, Maphumulo (Nkota 67’).