JOHANNESBURG – Orlando Pirates, already stunned by the resignation of head coach Milutin Sredojevic on Friday night, were beaten 1-0 by Highlands Park in an MTN8 quarter-final at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.
After an exciting and open match, Wayde Jooste scored an 82nd minute winner to condemn the Sea Robbers to a third consecutive defeat in all competitions.
In front of a lively crowd in Soweto, the game was played at a high tempo from the outset with both teams showing their attacking intent.
Highlands were to have the first clear opportunities, just after the 20 minute mark, as Lindokuhle Mbatha went close with a shot from the edge of the box before former Pirates marksman Tendai Ndoro missed with a headed effort.
The Buccaneers, with Rhulani Mokwena in charge after the shock exit of Sredojevic, had some chances of their own as Thembinkosi Lorch nearly succeeded with a lob and then had a shot from a tight angle beaten away by visiting keeper Thela Ngobeni.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/orlandopirates?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@orlandopirates0 - 1 @HighlandsP_FC #MTN8 #WafaWafa #siyabangenasiyabahlaba pic.twitter.com/KXdzi29Wfv
— Highlands Park FC (@HighlandsP_FC)
It was, however, the Lions of the North who ended the half on top, and they were nearly in front in the 36th minute when a blistering counter attack culminated in Jooste shooting from inside the box, but Bucs keeper Wayne Sandilands got down sharply to make the save.
Four minutes later Sandilands was called into action again to deal with a cross - and there was to be a lucky escape for the hosts as his clearance ricocheted off two Pirates defenders before the ball flew back to the goalkeeper via a touch off the post.
The match continued in the same high octane manner after the restart, Bucs having the early chances but the scoreline staying the same after Ngobeni made a superb block at the end of a mazy run and shot from Justin Shonga, before also keeping out Lorch.
At the other end, Owen da Gama's team remained a threat and it took some fine tackles from Happy Jele and Alfred Ndengane to snuff out a couple of dangerous counter-attacks.
With the contest seemingly drifting towards extra time, it looked there for the taking for either side.
It was Highlands who were to grab their chance when Ndoro combined with Peter Shalulile, before the Namibian cleverly cut the ball back into the path of Jooste – who finished with a sumptuous first-time curling shot from 14-yards out.
Pirates came back looking for an equaliser, but some highly focussed defending saw the visitors over the finish line without much issue.