Africa-Press – South-Africa. Exactly ten years and a day since they last lifted the league trophy, Kaizer Chiefs are champions again.
Amakhosi arrived in Durban as heavy underdogs but they turned the tables to beat Orlando Pirates 2-1 in front of a packed Moses Mabhida Stadium to lift the Nedbank Cup and finally put a decade of hurt behind them.
This win may serve as a saving grace for embattled coach Nasereddine Nabi who has been under tremendous pressure all season but he is still facing the challenge of ensuring the team ends the season in the top eight.
For Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro, the much talked about ‘last dance’ has turned into a nightmare.
When the club announced that Riveiro would be leaving at the end of the season, Pirates were still alive in three competitions but they have since been knocked out of the Champions League and now they have lost in this final.
They are still in the discussions for the league title but are outsiders with Mamelodi Sundowns in control of the two-horse race.
Nabi sprang a major surprise in his starting line-up by leaving goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma out of the match-day squad and he was replaced by Brandon Petersen who turned in a solid display between the sticks.
It was not immediately clear if Bvuma was injured. He was not even in the match-day squad, with Fiacre Ntwari on the bench.
It did not take too long for Peterson to be thrust into the spotlight and he was questionable for moving off his line and allowing Makgopa to equalise with his head after Gaston Sirino had given them the lead from the spot.
Some of the interesting selections by Nabi saw Inacio Miguel partner Zitha Kwinika with Edmilson Dove and Dillan Solomons on the sides.
In the midfield, Thabo Cele and captain Yusuf Maart were in the engine room and Gaston Sirino, Pule Mmodi and Glody Lilepo ahead of them and Wandile Duba as the lone striker.
Riveiro went with his tried and tested key players like Sipho Chaine, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Makhehleni Makhaula, Relebohile Mofokeng and Evidence Makgopa.
The match did not take long to ignite as referee Masixole Bambiso pointed to the spot after eight minutes when Mmodi went down after he contacted Deano van Rooyen.
Gaston Sirino stepped up to beat Sipho Chaine and give Chiefs the lead but television replays indicated it was a soft penalty.
Their lead was short-lived as Pirates equalised in the 17th minute when Makgopa rose above everyone in the box to connect with a well-taken cross from Deon Hotto.
Those who are experts in the art of defending will ask questions as to how the Chiefs defence was punished by Makgopa, who scored in a second successive Soweto derby.
When they returned from the break, the match continued in the same vein and Riveiro was the first to blink by replacing Makgopa with Tshegofatso Mabasa to freshen up his attack.
A few minutes later, Nabi was forced into chance with Sibongiseni Mthethwa coming on for injured Thabo Cele in the midfield to partner Maart and deal with Mbatha and Makhaula.
After the 70th minute mark, both coaches played more of their cards with Ashley du Preez and Mduduzi Shabalala coming on for Sirino for Chiefs and Duba Karim Kimvuidi and Kabelo Dlamini replacing Nkota and Makhaula for Pirates.
The introduction of Du Preez and Shabalala inspired Chiefs and they nearly retook the lead after 78 minutes when Mmodi’s close-range shot bounced off the upright with Chaine beaten.
Chiefs retook the lead after 78 minutes when Maart struck with his weaker left foot from outside the box to beat Chaine after he received a pass from Du Preez and they held on in the closing stages to once again be crowned champions.
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