Nkota’s blistering brace sets up big win for Pirates against Belouizdad

Mohau Nkota’s blistering first-half brace provided the platform for Orlando Pirates to secure a crucial three points in their Caf Champions League group stage opener in Algiers on Tuesday night, ultimately closing out a 2-1 win against CR Belouizdad.

Nkota’s strikes in the fifth and 27th minutes left the Algerian outfit reeling at the break and while Belouizdad fought back through substitute South African striker Khanyisa Mayo’s 66th-minute reply, Pirates closed out the last 20 minutes at Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 impressively.

With 12-time Champions League winners Al Ahly the Group C heavyweights, the battle might be between Pirates, Belouizdad and Ivorian outfit Stade d'Abidjan to fight it out for second place and progression to the quarterfinals.

The Buccaneers — playing their first group stage match since the 2018-19 edition, where they exited in third place in Group B with one win, three draws and two defeats — took a big step towards securing a knockout stage place.

Such a polished performance suggests Pirates seem likely to be able to get results home and away against Stade, and they will be favoured to beat Belouizdad at home too.

Even Al Ahly might have taken notice of coach Jose Riveiro’s team’s dangerous mix of youth and experience, spring in their step, dangerous, effective style of play, and exciting front-line, particularly the 20-year-old wing duo of Nkota and Relebohile Mofokeng.

Nkota’s brace tore a hole in Belouzdad’s ambitions in the game.

It came as Pirates’ tracking back and fighting in defence, pace in transitions and dangerous movement of their front-line of Nkota, Mofokeng, Patrick Maswanganyi and Evidence Makgopa had the Algerian club befuddled for most of the first half.

Only five minutes in Sipho Chaine’s kick out of goal was flicked on to the feet of Mofokeng in the middle who fed Nkota on his right, the youngster controlling and calmly finishing past goalkeeper Moustapha Zeghba.

Chaine’s double save minutes later at the feet of Ishak Boussouf preserved Bucs’ lead.

Mofokeng cut in on a dizzying run from the right to force a stop from Zeghba.

Nkota’s first goal was the appetiser to a main course. With the half-hour approaching the "terrible 20" Buccaneer duo combined again, Mofokeng teeing up Nkota 25m out who unleashed a screamer past Zeghba into the top right corner.

Pirates began the second half in the same vein, Deon Hotto feeding Thalente Mbatha through on the right to force a save.

Mayo had become Belouizdad’s most dangerous player replacing Boussouf in the 34th. The former Cape Town City player pulled a goal back for his Algerian club after a short corner was taken short to Abdelkader Meziane to whip in a cross onto Mayo’s head to finish past Chaine.