Inconsistent Pirates progress to Nedbank quarters with win over NFD side VFA

Orlando Pirates' inconsistent performances this season make Eskom, which is failing to provide electricity consistently, look like professionals.  

One just doesn’t know which Pirates will pitch up on the day, thanks to them being the kings of inconsistency.  

The Soweto giants can be sublime one week and mediocre seven days later. 

This was on display again when they needed extra time to beat the Motsepe Foundation Championship’s stragglers Venda Football Academy 2-1 in a Nedbank Cup last-16 match on Saturday night.  

An early goal from Kermit Erasmus after 24 minutes and extra time strike by Thembinkosi Lorch (113th) took Pirates to the quarterfinals of the tournament.  

Former Kaizer Chiefs player Edmore Chirambadare scored on 49 minutes for the lower tier side.  

Last week Pirates were impressive in their 4-1 drubbing of fellow DStv Premiership club Swallows but the same can’t be said about their game against Venda.  

This was the second time Pirates met a team from the lower division in this year’s tournament as they knocked out All Stars FC in the last 32.  

They were favourites to move past Venda, who are five points above relegation in the second tier, and join Mamelodi Sundowns, Dondol Stars, Sekhukhune United, Royal AM and Chippa United in the quarterfinal stage.  

The men from Limpopo boasted a few players with top-tier experience including Chirambadare, Rhulani Manzini and goalkeeper Harold Ndlovu, who made a number of crucial saves.  

Pirates enjoyed a lot of dominance from the start of the game with Venda forced to deal with the host’s wave after wave of attacks.  

The Buccaneers could have scored more goals than one in the first half had they been a more accurate and patient in their attacks.  

Left winger Deon Hotto should have opened the scoring 11 minutes into the game, but he ballooned his close-range effort.  

The Soweto giants finally broke the deadlock when Erasmus headed in a cross by Hotto on 24 minutes.  

 Venda’s defence was solid and should be credited for the fact that Pirates didn’t score more goals in the opening stanza.  

The top-tier side had the worst possible start in the second half as Hotto committed a blunder inside his own box and was duly punished by Chirambadare who netted the equaliser for the visitors.  

After being gifted the goal by Hotto, Venda continued to defend like their lives depended on it and wasted time like nobody’s business.   

Lorch came close to restoring Pirates' lead when his well taken shot from outside the box beat Ndlovu and rattled the cross bar.  

Despite all the attempts, both Pirates and Venda failed to find the winner and the match went to extra time.  

 As the game looked set for penalties, Evidence Makgopa set up Lorch who beat Ndlovu and saved Pirates from possible blushes of being knocked out by minnows. 

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