orlando pirates

Josef Zinnbauer coach of Orlando Pirates during the Absa Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu on 25 January 2020 at Orlando Stadium, Pretoria , Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Orlando Pirates crash out of Nedbank Cup after penalty shootout

Despite coming back from 2-0 down, Orlando Pirates ended on the losing side against Bidvest Wits on Sunday.

orlando pirates

Josef Zinnbauer coach of Orlando Pirates during the Absa Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu on 25 January 2020 at Orlando Stadium, Pretoria , Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

For the third time this season, Orlando Pirates crashed out of the first round of a cup competition, losing 3-2 in the penalty at home to Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup, after coming back from 2-0 to effect a 3-3 sccoreline after extra time.

The Buccaneers had suffered early defeats in the MTN8 and the Caf Champions League, and went past the first round of the Telkom Knockout before falling in the next hurdle.

Orlando Pirates stunned at home 

Next up was the country’s largest domestic tournament, where they had been drawn against fellow league contenders in the Braamfontein-based outfit.

It was all Pirates in the first half, but without much in the way of clear-cut chances.

The deadlock would, however, be broken eventually, but with the football flowing the other way as Fortune Makaringe was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his box, although replays proved otherwise.

Bienvenu Eva Nga was the man given the duties from the spot, and he made no mistake in making it 1-0 to the visitors.

A search for the equaliser was on, but was hampered by lack of composure in front of goal, most notably Thembinkosi Lorch, who failed to connect with the ball after being set up from out wide.

At the other end, Deon Hotto made no such mistake, as he was on hand to finish from a counter-attack, muscling Siphesihle Ndlovu off the ball before putting the second goal past Joris Delle.

Getting close early in the second half was Zakhele Lepasa – the previous campaign’s Nedbank Cup Player of the Season – who turned a cross into the ready hands of Ricardo Goss.

Pirates were almost punished at the other end by Elias Pelembe,, who shot wide in the 68th minute.

Immediately after that, the deficit was halved by the home side, who got on the scoresheet through Lorch, who was the first to breach Goss defences for the Buccaneers.

The intensity did not let up on the part of the hosts, despite the constant threat at the other end, and their skipper Happy Jele would have a say on proceedings.

The defender was on hand to provide the equaliser, as he headed in from a Luvuyo Memela cross to make it 2-2.

Wits rally back to progress in the Nedbank Cup

It took until the dying moments of extra time for the hosts to take the lead for the first time in the game, after Memela was fouled in the box, resulting in a red card for Elias Pelembe, who got into an argument with Gomes after just coming on.

Pirates were given a penalty, which was taken by Zakhele Lepasa, who sent Goss the wrong way to give the Soweto giants the advantage.

With just seconds on the clock, Wits found the equaliser through Gift Motupa, who sent the game to penalties.

In the shootout, Jele and Motupa made it 1-1 early on, before two consecutive misses from either side.

Pathutshedzo Nange was on target for Wits, and a Kabelo Dlamini afforded debutant Lorenzo Gordinho the chance to give his new sides the victory.