Konwatyiwe ngabalandeli be-Orlando Pirates kobu busuku emva kokuba iqela labo lizuze impumelelo ebalulekileyo. IPirates iza kubuyela kwaNyamayipheli umsila uphezulu emva kokuba ithwaxe iRoyal AM ngamagowuli amabini kwelinye emdlalweni weMTN8 obuvutha bhe eChatsworth Stadium namhlanje. Khange kuphele nemizuzu emihlanu umdlalo uqalile, iPirates ibikhokela ngegowuli elifakwe nguVincent Pule. Ukufakwa kwegowuli kwiThwihli Thwahla kuyihluphezile. Amakhwenkwe kaDan Malesela noKhabo Zondo adibanise iibhola aya phambili edabini ekhangela igowuli lokulinganisa. Ibhola ebikhatywe nguMotebang Sera weRoyal AM khange yenze demesha kwiPirates.
Ethubeni, iphinde yafumana elinye ithuba lokufaka igowuli lesibini iPirates – kodwa ngelishwa layo, uZakhe Lepasa woyiswe kukusebenzisa ibhola ebeyidlalelwe nguEva Nga. Siphelile isiqingatha siphelile ingakwazanga ukuphendula iRoyal AM nangani ibinawo amathuba okufumana igowuli. Emva kwesigaba sokuqala ebisithisa, iRoyal Am iqale isigaba sesibini inomfutho omkhulu. Bekucaca ukuba amakhwenkwe angxolisiwe ngethuba esekhifini. UMalesela ukhuphe uLesvin Stoffels noLantshene Phalane, iindawo zabo zithathwe nguMfundo Thikazi noJabulani Ncobeni. Injongo yeRoyal AM ibicacile ukuba ifuna ukubeka uxinizelelo kubadlali bePirates ifumane igowuli lokulinganisa nelempumelelo.
Endaweni yoko, iPirates ibhalise igowuli lesibini ngebhola efakwe nguMonyane. Emizuzwini emibini kwenziwe iinguqu yiRoyal AM, uThikizani ubhakuzelise umnatha ngebhola ebetheke kwiPirates yabiyela ebaleni. Idibene naye emhlabeni kaRichards Ofori oyibukele izingenela ezipalini zakhe. Abadlali bePirates emva badlale kakuhle kakhulu bekhokelwa nguSibisi noMaela. Noxa iqela likaMamkhize lidlale kakuhle kakhulu kwisigaba sesibini somdlalo – kodwa into ebembi ngalo kukuba alikwazanga ukusebenzisa amathuba avelileyo emdlalweni wanamhlanje. Belibethwa okwesibini yiPirates ebikhe yalibetha emdlalweni weDStv Premiership kwiveki ephelileyo.
Royal AM: Ngcobo, Mogaila, Nascimento, Maganyi, Matlaba, Mahlasela, Phalane, Kobedi, Sera, De jong, Stoffels.
Amalalela: Nyame, Ncobeni, Pelembe, Ndlovu, Macuphu, Rikhotso, Cele, Dlamini, Thikazi.
Orlando Pirates: Ofori, Maela, Sibisi, Ndah, Mosele, Timm, Monyane, Hotto, Pule, Nga, Lepasa.
Amalalela: Mpontshane, Peprah, Mthethwa, Mako, Shandu, Tlolane, Makgaka, Makaringe, Motshwari.
IPirates idibana neentanga zayo namhlanje kwiMTN8, utsho uSage Stephens!