Orlando Pirates’ Moroccan coach Abdeslam Ouaddou looks forward to a third defence of the MTN8 trophy. Photo: Sipho Siso

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Orlando Pirates fans broke into a frenzy of excitement in celebration of the 86th minute equalising goal of Kamogela Sebelebele reminiscent as if they had already won the MTN8 trophy.

The fans could hardly contain their excitement at this goal during the first of a two-legged semi-final of the competition at a sold-out fortress Orlando Stadium on August 16 against Mamelodi Sundowns.

An uninformed spectator would have wondered whether the Mighty Buccaneers just need an equaliser to clinch the trophy or what so much excitement meant when there was still another leg of the match to be played at the home of the Yellow Machine’s Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium on August 23.

The game started with the usual demeanour of the Bucs versus Sundowns game in which the Sea Robbers now have a tendency of wanting to stun Masandawana with an early goal in the opening minutes of the plan again almost rewarded the side when it ran short of rattling the net soon after the referee blew his start whistle.

This has become a trademark of the Buccaneers game against Sundowns, to hit them early when they are still unsettled. If that does not work, the Bucs will keep the goal pressure on Masandawana when an opportunity avails itself in the run of play.

If that doesn’t work, the opt for another goal blitz in the dying minutes of the game has been won by the opponents or they are settling for a stalemate. These tactics often get the Bucs the required results as was almost the case when they came close to scoring a winner in the dying minutes of the game.

Sundowns tends to want to settle down first and then play and its approach was no different in this game as they opted to settle down first before picking their rhythm. Once settled, the Brazilians then resort to their style of play to control the ball and knock it around in search of openings to exploit as the side moves goal wards.

Tashreeq Matthews thought he had beaten the offside trap in the fifth minute of the game when he banged the ball into the back of the net but only to be denied the goal for offside. Iqraam Rayners was equally caught offside in the seventh minutes of the game.

In the 20 th minute, it was the turn of the Buccaneers to be caught offside when Sebelebele was flagged down and that piece of action was followed by a stunning Tebogo Mokoena free kick goal in the 35 th minute that gave Bucs goalminder Sipho Chaine no chance.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso will hope to overcome what has become his side’s voodoo trophy. Photo: Sipho Siso

Soon after that opening goal for Masandawana, Chaine was called to make two brilliant saves from Rayners and Matthews in the 37th minute. Sundowns substitute Jayden Adams connected well with a cross ball but failed to keep his header low as it ballooned way over the crossbar.

Downs goalminder Ronwen Williams, who more of a man at an Umgababa beach resort, was called to make a brilliant save from an Evidence Makgopa header that most football scribes had already counted it as an opening goal for the Bucs.

On return from the ‘oranges break’, Deon Hotto had a glorious opportunity to level the score line for the Bucs at the start of the second half but had an unbelievable miss kick of the ball with Williams beaten and goals begging but sent it wide of the posts.

In the 56 th minute, Rayners missed an opportunity to add an insurance goal for Masandawana when he knocked the ball straight to the body of Chaine, but that miss was quickly replaced by a Sebelebele strike that rattled the back of the net, sending the Might Buccaneers’ fans into a frenzy of celebrations on the stands.

Sebelebele broke the Downs offside trap and had a good solo run with the ball as an advancing Williams tripped and fell as he tried to intercept the ball, but instead it

sailed into the back of an empty net. In the dying minutes of the referee’s optional time, Mokoena tried his trademark of long-range goals, but an alert Chaine was up to the task and simply collected the strike into his safe hands.

It would be interesting to know what happens in the second leg of the semi-final on Saturday, whether Masandawana can avoid the Bucs spook and manage to put one hand on the trophy or will it be Amabhakabhaka that will put one foot forward in its third defence of the trophy, and only 90 minutes will tell the tale.