Pirates finally beat Chiefs to book place in Nedbank Cup final

Orlando Pirates remain on course for a rare domestic cup double while Kaizer Chiefs will enter their ninth year without silverware. 

The Buccaneers needed extra time to beat Amakhosi 2-1 in front of a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon to book a place in the Nedbank Cup final at Loftus in Pretoria on May 27. 

Goals in either half by Kermit Erasmus and substitute Sandile Mthethwa earned Pirates the right to take on the winner of the other semifinal on Sunday between Stellenbosch and Sekhukhune United. 

Chiefs’ goal was scored by midfielder Yusuf Maart. 

This victory also ends Chiefs' dominance over Pirates as Amakhosi went into this match on a five-match winning streak over the Buccaneers, with all those matches being league fixtures. 

Pirates won the MTN8 earlier in the season and Chiefs last laid their hands on a major trophy in 2015 when they won the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title. 

Before the match there were concerns because the venue hosted the hugely popular Monster Jam event last weekend but the pitch held up well to produce a good contest. 

Pirates coach Jose Riveiro went with a balanced team that had Sipho Chaine in goals, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Tapelo Xoki, Bandile Shandu and Paseka Mako in defence, and Miguel Timm, Thabang Monare and Kabelo Dlamini in the midfield. 

Terence Dzvukamanja, Monnapule Saleng and Kermit Erasmus were tasked with getting the much needed goals in their bid to stop Chiefs’ recent dominance over them. 

Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane picked a team with Brandon Petersen between the sticks, Edmilson Dove, Siyabonga Ngezana, Sifiso Hlanti and Reeve Frosler in defence, and Dilllian Solomons, Samkelo Zwane, Yusuf Maart and Siyethemba Sithebe in the midfield.  

To get goals and register their sixth successive win over their rivals, Zwane put his faith in Ashley du Preez and Christian Saile but it was not to be.

Earlier in the game, Chiefs striker Saile forgot the basics of finishing as he completely missed the ball inside the box after Du Preez delivered a telling cross into the box. 

Chiefs were duly punished shortly after Saile's glaring miss when Erasmus finished off a swift move started by Timm from deep in the Pirates midfield. 

Timm was allowed space to control the ball before he laid it to on-form Saleng on the right wing from where he found Erasmus who put the ball in the net. 

On the stroke of halftime, Pirates suffered a blow when Bandile Shandu was stretchered off the field with what looked like a serious injury after he collided with Reeve Frosler in the air. 

To mitigate Shandu’s forced withdrawal, Riveiro brought in Deon Hotto and the Namibian international went to left back with Mako switching to the right. 

Chiefs equalised through attacking midfielder Maart who connected with a cross from Solomons in the 78th minute and the goal forced the match into extra time. 

During the second half of extra time, Mthethwa connected with a long range pass from Ndlondlo to head home what turned out to be the winner as Pirates secure another final place. 

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