Orlando Pirates crashed out of the Caf Champions League group stage qualifiers after losing 5-4 on penalties to Jwaneng Galaxy at the Orlando Stadium on Friday.
The game finished 1-1 on aggregate after 180 minutes as Pirates won the return leg 1-0 in their home stadium, having lost 1-0 away to Galaxy in the first leg two weeks ago.
The Buccaneers were dumped out of the competition when Relebohile Mofokeng missed his team’s only spot-kick durfing the shootout.
For Galaxy, though, they repeated the heroics of 2010 having sent Pirates packing in this stage of the competition after the tie ended 2-2.
The result also meant a lot to Galaxy’s coach Morena Ramoreboli, their South African-born coach, who also beat Pirates in the Nedbank Cup 10 years ago with minnows Maluti FET.
Pirates, though, will have no time to mourn this result as they’ll have to prepare for the MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns in Durban next Saturday.
Pirates came into this match on the back of three successive losses, but were favourites to get a win in tonight’s match to advance to the group stage.
But while Pirates were the favourites, the brilliant goalkeeping of Goitseone Phoko nearly denied them equaliser until Evidence Makgopa pounced.
Phoko denied Lepasa glancing header a few minutes after the start and saved Thabang Monare’s shot midway through the first stanza.
Phoko denied Maswanganyi’s tap-in with his foot following a diagonal in-swinging cross before he parried away a Bandile Shandu effort from close-range.
But Riveiro made a host of changes early in the second half, that paid dividends for the Sea Robbers as a scramble inside the box drew the tie level.
Phoko was finally beaten by Makgopa’s low shot that took a deflection on its way into the back of the net.
Pirates didn’t drop the tempo, especially knowing that an away goal for Galaxy could be fatal in the tie.
And that’s why Pirates and the Ghost were disappointed when Erasmus’ thunderbolt came off the woodwork, after the striker did well to work the angle.
Makgopa also missed two chances to be the outright hero, as he failed to put his shots on target with just Phoko to beat against the run of play.
As the match advanced straight to the lottery of penalty shootout, the battle of the keepers was between Phoko and Richard Ofori who replaced Chaine specially for the task.
And it was Phoko, who, again, reigned supreme, saving the penalty of Mofokeng to send his side to the group stage and Pirates out of the competition!
@Mihlalibaleka