Linda Ximba
I-Orlando Pirates ibuye ngegiya eliphezulu ngemuva kokushaywa yiMamelodi Sundowns ngo 3-0 ngesonto eledlule, njengoba inenebule iBlack Leopards ngo 3-0 emdlalweni we-DStv Premiership e-Orlando Stadium ngoLwesine ebusuku.
IPirates ifake iLeopards enkingeni yokwehlela ezansi kwetafula njengoba ukuhlulwa kuyenze yabambeka endaweni yokugcina ku-log, ngamaphuzu ayi-18 emidlalweni engama-26.
Kube ukuziphindiselela okumnandi kuPirates ehlulwe ngo 2-0 ngesikhathi ibhekene nezikaLehlohonolo Seema, e-Venda emzuliswaneni wokuqala. Ukunqoba kukhuphule amathuba okuthi iPirates izibekisele indawo ku- Caf Confederations Cup ngesizini ezayo. Badlule iMoroka Swallows esendaweni yesine ngamaphuzu angama-42 emidlalweni engama-25.
Kusukela ekuqaleni abadlali baJosef Zinnbauer bakhombise ukuzimisela futhi bafuna ukubuyisa isithunzi ngokunqoba lo mdlalo kubavakashi.
Unozinti wabo uWayne Sandilands ubezipholele engafukuzi nhlobo epalini njengoba abadlali abafana noWayde Jooste kanye noDeon Hotto bedale umonakalo omkhulu ezinhlangothini zombili zeLeopard ngejubane labo.
Ukuhlangana kwabadlali basesiswini abafana noKabelo Dlamini noNkanyiso Zungu kudale ukudideka kubadlali beLeopards abangabavikeli abaphethwe ngu-Edwin Gymah wase-Ghana.
Igoli lokuqala ligcine lingene ngomzuzu wama-47 lapho uTshegofatso Mabasa eshaya ibhola ebelisuka kuJooste.
UMabasa ushaye elakhe ngomzuzu wama-66 ngesikhathi eqedelela ithuba lesibili kulandela ukuthola ibhola eliphuma kuZungu obeshaya i-corner kick. Ibhola alishaye ngekhanda livinjwe yipali, kodwa ube ngumdlali ovelele ngokwanele ukuthi enze okulandelwayo ukuqhubeka nobusuku obumnandi kuye.
UGabadhino Mhango ongene endaweni yomdlali wasesiswini u-Abel Mabaso, ushaye isipikili sokugcina ebhokisini leLeopards ngokuqedelela ngobunyoninco ibhola ebelisuka kumlingani ongakwesokunxele emuva uThabiso Sesame.
Yize ukunqoba kufanele kuyikhuthaze iPirates ehlose ukuzitholela udumo lwe-Confederation, kodwa kwiLeopards kusho ukuthi kumele beze nendlela yokubalekela ukugcina besezansi.
Umthombo wesithombe: @orlandopirates