LEOPARDS KNOCK PIRATES OUT OF NEDBANK CUP
Black Leopards defeated Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the 2018/19 Nedbank Cup round of 32 match at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday evening.
The win saw Lidoda Duvha book their place in the last 16, while the Buccaneers bowed out of the tournament.
Lidoda Duvha and Bucs launched attacks in the opening stages of the game as they searched for an early goal.
The first real chance of the game went to former Pirates player Mwape Musonda in the 14th minute, but the Leopards striker fired over the crossbar.
Bucs were then awarded a free-kick in a promising area after Thembinkosi Lorch was fouled near the Lidoda Duvha box just after the half-hour mark.
Zambian striker Justin Shonga then scored from the resultant free-kick to make it 1-0 to Pirates with Leopards goalkeeper King Ndlovu well-beaten.
The hosts then pressed Pirates as they looked to level matters with the halftime break approaching in the Limpopo Province.
Shonga’s countryman, Musonda managed to equalize when he scored from Pentjie Zulu’s well-taken cross to make it 1-1 in the 39th minute.
Leopards and Pirates were locked at 1-1 at halftime following an entertaining first half.
Pirates were the better side in the opening stages of the second half and Vincent Pule narrowly missed the target with a low shot.
The Buccaneers kept pushing for their second goal with their star forward Lorch working hard upfront.
The South Africa international’s goal-bound effort was brilliantly saved by Ndlovu in the 70th minute as Milutin Sredojevic’s charges piled pressure on Leopards.
Ndlovu had to produce a magnificent save to deny Paseka Mako from close range in the latter stages of the game.
Leopards were able to contain Pirates in the dying minutes of the match and ultimately, the game went into extra-time following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The hosts suffered a blow in extra-time as their hard-working midfield maestro, Letlhohonolo Masalesa was sent off was receiving his second yellow of the game.
However, Leopards stood firm at the back and ultimately, extra-time ended with the two teams locked at 1-1, and a penalty shootout followed.
Leopards went on to win 5-4 on penalities with Man of the Match Ndlovu denying Alfred Ndengane, before Joseph Mhlongo netted the winning penalty.
Leopards (1) 1 (Musonda 39′)
Pirates (1) 1 (Shonga 32′)
TEAMS:
Black Leopards: Ndlovu, Mudau, Zulu, Munganga, Masia, Masalesa, Bereng, Kapinga (Tshepe 78′), Musonda, Mahangwahaya (Mhlongo 78′), Hlongwane (Mokoena 113′).
Orlando Pirates: Mabokgwane, Jele, Ndengane, Mbekile, Maela, Mlambo, Nyatama, Mako (Gabuza 96′), Pule (Mahachi 74′), Lorch (Maphangule 78′), Shonga,
