Ihleli kwindawo yesithathu i’Orlando Pirates kwiDStv Premiership emva kokuzuza amanqaku apheleleyo emdlalweni wanamhlanje ebusuku. Ezimnyama ziyinyathele ngaphezulu iMaritzburg United ebethwe ngamagowuli amabini kwelinye emdlalweni weDStv Premiership obushushu e’Orlando Stadium, eSoweto. Amagowuli ephumelele ngawo iPirates afakwe ngumdlali oyinkathazo kakhulu ekuthiwa nguMonnapule Saleng nefolosi eze kakubi, uTerrence Dzvukamanja. Ibikokokuqala uFadlu Davids ebuyela esibayeni sePirates abengumqeqeshi wayo kwisizini egqithileyo.
Ubethwe ngugxa wakhe kekambe, uMandla Ncikazi, abesebenza naye ngokubambisana kwiPirates ngoba uJose Riveira ebengekho emdlalweni emva kokunikwa ikhadi elibomvu emdlalweni weNedbank Cup kwiveki ephelileyo. Kuyiwe kwixesha lokuphumla iPirates inkqenkqeza phambili ngegowuli elifakwe nguSaleng obehlasela kakhulu emdlalweni noThembinkosi Lorch oqale ukudlala kulo nyaka kwiveki ephelileyo emva kokukhonkxwa kukonzakala ixesha elide kakhulu.
Kuyiwe kwisigaba sesibini uSipho Chaine engakhange axakeke kakhulu ngoba abadlali abafana noTapelo Xoki no-Innocent Maela benze umsebenzi omhle kakhulu emva. Ibuye ingxamile iMaritzburg United kwisigaba sesibini ngoba ibisilwela nokuba linqaku elinye enokuthi ilifumane njengokuba izama ukubaleka izembe eliyijingelayo ezantsi kwiDStv Premiership. Uphantse wafaka igowuli lePirates lesibini uNdabayithethwa Ndlondlo – kodwa ngelishwa lakhe, ibhola yakhe ibethe ipali ayangena ngaphakathi.
Iqela likaMmandla Ncikazi libhalise igowuli lesibini ebhodini ngebhola entle efakwe ngentloko nguTerrence Dzvukamanja adibene nayo isuswe phantsi nguSaleng ekunxele. Bazamile ukulwa abadlali beTeam of Choice bade bavuzwa ngegowuli elifakwe nguTumelo Njoti kushiyeke imizuzu emithandathu kuphele ixesha lomdlalo. Ukubethwa kweMaritzburg ibe ziindaba ezimbini ngoba isendaweni embi kakhulu. Kanti yona iPirates isondele ngoku kwindawo yesibini eyifunayo ukuze ikwazi ukubuyela emidlalweni yeCAF Champions League.
Ubomi ejele kutata owadlwengula unyana wakhe ona-8