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Even stevens at FNB

Johannesburg -  Knowledge Musona scored a vital away goal for Kaizer Chiefs as they drew 1-1 with Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg during the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final on Saturday evening.

The game began at a pedestrian pace but shot to life in the second half when Pirates took the lead through Isaac Chansa, who scored with a well-taken volley off a Daine Klate corner in the 47th minute.

Musona scored his second goal of the competition when he drove home Jimmy Tau’s 60th minute lay up to ensure that the teams ended level and gave his team the comfort of scoring an away goal.

It took a while for either team to really warm up Pirates looked nervous while Chiefs seemed unable to play their usual passing game, somehow after the half hour mark both teams stepped it up a gear which made for a frantic ending to the first half.

It began with Lucky Lekgwathi going close to heading Pirates into the lead when he managed to slip in behind the Chiefs defence off a free kick, but his effort lacked direction and missed the target.

Four minutes on and Chiefs finally found their rhythm: a series of quick passes eventually lead to Siphiwe Tshabalala sending Mandla Masango into space through the middle, he in turn sent the ball wide to Musona.

The Chiefs attacker tore away from Lekgwathi and fired at goal, only for Moeneeb Josephs to pull off a magnificent goal line stop by blocking the ball with both hands.

Dominic Isaacs then missed the target from close range for Chiefs off a Tshabalala free kick, heading the ball wide in the 38th minute from close by.

Whatever the first half might have lacked in attacking content, the second stanza made up for it as both teams tore up their defensive script book and went on the offensive.

It was Pirates who got the early break through scoring in the 47th minute. Klate swung in the perfect corner from the right, Modise was able to get up and flicked it to the back post. Somehow the ball fell invitingly into the path of Chansa, who hit in mid air past Khune to hand the home side the lead.

Chiefs did not lie back after going a goal behind and pushed forward looking for the equaliser and it duly arrived. Tau did the hard work as he stormed up the right wing, taking on Cloete and beating him before sending a low cross into the box towards Musona, who controlled the ball before shooting past Josephs who made a lethargic attempt at trying to stop the ball.

Eight minutes on, Musona wasted a great scoring chance by firing wide when dispossessing the Pirates rear guard of the ball.

The arrival of Tlou Segolela onto the scene seemed to give Pirates the edge they were in search of. He went on a scintillating run in the 77th minute from deep in his own half down the left wing as he got past the challenges of three Chiefs defenders – he was able to play in a dangerous ball which fell to Modise at the far post.

He made a hash of the chance and his effort on goal turned out to be a back pass towards Nahayo, who cleared the danger.

Nine minutes from the end, Segolela was at it again, shooting the ball towards goal from around 20 yards out. He had Khune diving across goal to block his attempt with one hand.

The teams finished off 1-1, a result that puts Chiefs in the driving set ahead of the return leg in a fortnight’s time.
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