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The first 45 minutes saw the Buccaneers start really strongly as they used the width of the pitch to attack down the flanks. Daine Klate and Dikgan Mabalane were the two wide men for Pirates looking really dangerous.
The Soweto based side dominated the possession steaks, controlling the midfield battle and came close to the opening goal as early as the seventh minute. Klate whipped in a teasing cross which Isaac Chansa rose to meet, but his header went inches wide of the target.
Thereafter, Pirates continued to press forward and it was only a matter of time before they took the lead. The man to find the game’s first goal was Chansa in the 19th minute and what a goal it was.
Chansa drove down the left flank before cutting inside and unleashing a beautiful shot from just outside the 18-yard area that curled into the top right hand corner of the net. The Santos keeper had no chance as he watched the ball sail past his outstretched hand, 1-0.
The Buccaneers continued to dominate as Santos virtually looked non-existent in the match. That was until a mistake by the Soweto side’s defence allowed the People’s Team to find the equaliser in the 34th minute.
A poor pass by Pirates gifted possession to Santos who quickly set about on a counter attack supplying an inch perfect pass for Jurie Basie to run onto and with only the keeper to beat. Basie made no mistake burying the ball past Moneeb Josephs from about 12-yards out, 1-1.
That goal seemed to rise the confidence of the People’s Team as they began playing the better football and finished the half the stronger of the two sides.
The second half saw Santos start where they left off as they took firm control of the game, but were unable to create any clear-cut chances on goal.
Then, in the 62nd minute, somewhat against the run of play Pirates regained the lead after some sloppy defending by the People’s Team.
Teko Modise whipped in a corner-kick that found its way across the face of goal and to Klate at the back post. The newly signed Pirates man did not hesitate to fire the ball home from an acute angle only a couple of yards out, 2-1.
With the Buccaneers regaining the lead their play seemed to pick up and once again they began playing some nice possession football as Santos struggled to get hold of the ball.
Chansa came close to sealing matters in the 80th minute when he drove into the box and tried to chip the onrushing goalie, but unfortunately he saw his shot bounce off the cross-bar and out of play.
The game finished 2-1 in favour of the Soweto side and sees them move into the semi-finals of the MTN8 along with Ajax Cape Town, Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs.
Orlando Pirates (1) 2 (Chansa 19’, Klate 62’)
Santos (1) 1 (Basie 34’)
Teams
Pirates: Josephs; Manyisa, Lekgwathi, Makonese, Cloete, Mabalane (Segolela 64’), Modise (Mayambela 84’), Jali, Chansa, Klate, Ngobeni (Mabena 46’).
Santos: Motsoeneng; W. Arendse, T. Arendse, Ntloana, Gabonamong, Mafoko, Isaacs (Macala 75’), Spelman (Rodgers 66’), King, Skippers, Basie (S. Arendse 66’).
