Durban - Orlando Pirates finally added their name to the honours roll of the Telkom Knockout Cup with a 3-1 win over Wits in the final on Saturday night.
 
In an entertaining match played at a rainy Moses Mabhida Stadium, Bucs secured the trophy for the first time thanks to goals from Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Daine Klate and Isaac Chansa. Sifiso Myeni scored the Clever Boys’ consolation.
 
Pirates got off to the perfect start, opening the scoring in just the third minute. Klate was the architect of the goal, turning inside Lehlogonolo Maselelsa before unselfishly squaring for Thulasizwe Mbuyane to score one of the easiest goals he will ever notch up in his career.
 
After the goal, Bucs were more than prepared to sit back and try catch their opponents on the counter attack. They should have gone 2-0 ahead when Ndumiso Mabena rounded the goalkeeper in the 11th minute but the attacker then somehow missed an open goal.
 
Benni McCarthy was a troubling figure for the Wits defence and just over 10 minutes before the break he stole the ball off S’boniso Gumede to be faced with only Energy Murambadoro to beat, but from a tight angle he skewed his shot wide of the far post.
 
Klate also had a good effort as the half wound down, cracking a well-hit shot that forced Murambadoro into a sharp save.
 
Wits, despite shading possession, were not able to create many chances to test Pirates goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs. Their best effort came in the 43rd minute with Sifiso Vilakazi glancing a header narrowly wide of the far post from Patrick Phungwayo’s cross.
 
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first until Wits captain Sifiso Myeni brought his side level at 1-1 after 65 minutes, firing a low shot through Josephs’s legs after a route-one move.
 
But just seven minutes later Klate put Pirates back on the path to victory cutting inside from the right before crashing home a low left-footed shot that beat Murambadoro at his near post.

Bucs wrapped up the win after 83 minutes when substitute Tlou Segolela set up Chansa to make it 3-1 with a sweet finish from close range.
 
Scorers:

Wits (0) 1 (Myeni 65’)
Orlando Pirates (1) 3 (Mbuyane 3’, Klate 72’, Chansa 83’)
 
Teams:

Wits: Murambadoro; Mngomezulu, Mabizela, Gumede, Phungwayo, Sibande, Maselesa (Langwe 64’), Chapman (Adolph 86’), Sib. Vilakazi (Jayiya 79’), Myeni, Sif. Vilakazi
 
Pirates: Josephs; Lekgwathi, Mahamutsa, Sangweni, Cloete, Mbuyane (Segolela 78’), Jali, Chansa, Klate, Mabena (Manyisa 58’), McCarthy (Rantie 90’)