Orlando Pirates beat struggling Cape Town Spurs with a 2-0 scoreline in the last 16 of the Carling Black Label Knockout Cup at Orlando Stadium on Friday night.
Tapelo Xoki broke the deadlock from a spot kick in the 60th minute of the showdown to give Pirates a lead.
Meanwhile, Kermit Erasmus added to the scoreline in the 64th minute to make sure his side booked a spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals.
Below are the five talking points from this fascinating showpiece.
THEMBINKOSI LORCH RETURNS
The Sea Robbers star Thembinkosi Lorch returned to action for the Soweto giants for the first time this campaign after being on the sidelines for quite some time due to an injury.
Lorch’s return came at the right as Pirates needed someone of his calibre to help the side reach the promised land.
His performance on the night was satisfying and he walked away with the Man of the Match accolade voted by fans. He will be hoping to get more playing time moving forward.
CAPE TOWN SPURS’ WOES CONTINUES
The Urban Warriors’ woes continued as the Cape club failed to turn the tables around against Pirates.
This is their ninth successive defeat of the season across all competitions since they gained promotion to the SA top flight.
SIPHO CHAINE REPLACED BY MELUSI BUTHELEZI
Pirates were forced to make a change in the 32nd minute of the showdown, as the in-form goalkeeper Sipho Chaine sustained an injury.
Melusi Buthelezi was brought on for his Bucs debut in place of the injured Chaine, who saved three penalties when they defeated Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final a fortnight ago.
JOSE RIVEIRO ON COURSE TO WIN ANOTHER TITLE
When Riveiro took over the coaching reins at Pirates, many wondered if he was up to such a big task.
However, the Happy People fans were more than aware of what type of rebuilding job it would take. Especially, for any new coach who took the position at a big institution like Pirates.
The Spanish mentor proved his doubters wrong, serving them humble pie. He did that by winning three domestic cups since his arrival at Pirates.
With Pirates having progressed to the quarter-finals, Riveiro will be gunning to win another title.
ZAKHELE LEPASA FAILED TO RECOVER ON TIME
Zakhele Lepasa had to be ruled out of Bafana Bafana camp last week. This was due to a knee injury he has been struggling with and failed to recover on time for this cup tie.
During the Carling Knockout Cup presser on Wednesday, Riveiro confirmed Lepasa’s injury. Riveiro stated that they were not certain if Lepasa would be ready for the Spurs clash. They had to wait for 24 hours to make a decision.
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