Watch VideoNo clean sweep! Orlando Pirates sink in Nedbank Cup shoot-out agaist Casric Stars

Orlando Pirates player Relebohile Mofokeng challenges for the ball during the Nedbank Cup Round of 16 against Casric Stars’ Kabelo Mofokeng at the Orlando Amstel Arena Soweto. ORLANDO AMSTEL ARENA —THERE WILL BEno clean sweep! There will be no repeat of 1973.

There will be no new Buccaneer legends. Orlando Pirates’ dream of winning everythingon offer in the country’s elite league dissipated in the cold Orlando air via a5-4 penalty-shootoutdefeatto Motsepe Foundation Championship side Casric Stars. Top of the Betway Premiership table and having won both the MTN8 and Carling Knockout trophies, talk among the Pirates faithful was of this current team joining theClass of ’73, which won the BP Top 8, the Life Challenge Cup, and the NPSL league title under coach Tony Sanderson.

The phrase ‘Operation Vat Alles’ was bandied about asthe fansspoke of the likes of Rele Mofokeng and Nkosinathi Sibisi adding their names alongside those of Jomo Sono and Shakes Mashaba. The Pirates fans started the match in high spirits, celebratingMamelodi Sundowns’defeat at TS Galaxy by brandishing placards that read, ‘Thank You Galaxy for sorting the country out,’ while mockingly chanting Sundowns songs. Theydid notknow they too were to be silenced—ironically by a team from Mpumalanga, just as their rivals had been earlier on.

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Pirates dominated the game and should have won. But late in the match, with the board indicating that four minutes ofadded timewould be played, Pirates nearly put an end to the encounter as a contestwitha cleverly conceptualised free kick on the edge of the box. Oswin Appollis played the ball short to Tshepang Moremi on the left side of the box to catch the Casric defence napping, as they were clearly anticipating theblondewinger to take a shot at goal.

Moremi could only watch in disbelief as his shot beat Tshigwana Mthombeni, only to ricochet off the upright. There had been many such near misses for the Buccaneers throughout the 90 minutesin which they dominatedplay and possession. In the first half, Mofokeng forced a fantastic savefromMthombeni with a splendid drive from outside the box, but the Casric goalkeeper did well to parry the ball overafter24 minutes.

Andre de Jong then failed to connect with a goodcutbackby Moremi; the NewZealander’ssliding effort just missing the ball. Mthombeni then did well in the second half to keep his team in it, pulling off a good save to denyDe Jongafter he had spilled a Mofokeng shot. There was a chance for Deon Hotto late on; theNamibiangetting behind the defender on the left to receive the ball, but his attempt went across the face of goal and out near the far post.

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