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Polokwane - SuperSport United have lifted the Nedbank Cup after scraping to a 3-2 win over Orlando Pirates at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
As it happened: Orlando Pirates 2 SuperSport United 3
Although it was Pirates who broke the deadlock through Luvuyo Memela, SuperSport took the game by the horns in the first half, with Jeremy Brockie levelling the scores within two minutes of the opener, before Bradley Grobler and Michael Morton both pounced on the rebound to put United 3-1 up at the break.
A defensive error from United saw Pirates pull one back early in the second half thanks to a comical blunder from Clayton Daniels, but SuperSport were able to hold on to their lead to claim the Nedbank Cup.
The match was a lively affair right from the start, with SuperSport registering the first shot of goal in the opening seconds when Dove Wome forced Brighton Mhlongo into a good save with a rasping drive towards the top corner straight from kick off.
But Pirates took the lead in just the 12th minute when Tendai Ndoro threaded a pass through the defence for Luvuyo Memela, who was able to slip it over the line.
The Sea Robber's lead only lasted two minutes, however, with Jeremy Brockie grabbing yet another crucial goal with a close range header on the end of a delicious cross from Michael Boxall, who had down some great work on the right flank before floating it into the box.
United struck again on the half-hour mark when Thabo Rakhale was robbed of the ball, allowing Brockie to fire at goal, with Mhlongo only able to parry his effort into the path of Bradley Grobler to volley home.
United doubled their lead in the closing stages of the first half through Michael Boxall, with Mhlongo again unable to get the danger away after blocking Michael Morton's effort, but it popped up for Boxall to head home on the rebound.
Pirates were back in the match early in the second half mostly thanks to some terrible defending from United, with a cross from the left narrowly avoiding the first defender before reaching Clayton Daniels, who stooped to try head it clear but instead saw it deflected in off his shins.
The closing stages saw Pirates pushing forward in search of the equaliser that would take the match to extra time, and came closest in the 84th minute, when substitute goalkeeper Boalefa Pule pulled off a fine stop to deny Thabo Matlaba from finding the net.
