Orlando Pirates edge 10-man Durban City in MTN8 extra-time thriller

Orlando Pirates reached the MTN8 semi-finals after beating Durban City 2-1 in extra time at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

The hosts made a fast start in front of an almost full eSgodini, with supporters expecting another strong performance after Orlando Pirates’ league victory on the opening day of the season the previous week.

Orlando Pirates controlled much of the early possession and created the clearer chances, but they had to wait until late in the first half to make their pressure count. Patrick Maswanganyi converted from the penalty spot to give the home side the lead.

The penalty followed a costly mistake from Brooklyn Poggenpoel. The Durban City defender lost possession just outside his own area and, while attempting to recover, brought down Tshepang Moremi inside the box.

Referee Jelly Chavani showed Poggenpoel a second yellow card for the foul, leaving Durban City with 10 players and facing a difficult second half.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Khalil Ben Youssef’s side responded impressively after the break. Durban City levelled eight minutes into the second half when Gaston Sirino supplied Jean Lwamba, who finished from close range to make it 1-1.

Abdeslam Ouaddou made tactical adjustments as Orlando Pirates sought to increase the pressure in the attacking areas. However, Durban City defended stubbornly and relied on the defensive resilience that had been central to their Nedbank Cup success.

The visitors came close to snatching the winner in the closing moments of normal time. Moremi had an opportunity with the final kick of the 90 minutes, but a misunderstanding with Boitumelo Radiopane saw the pair fail to convert from inside the six-yard area.

Durban City goalkeeper Frederick Asare played an important role in keeping his side level, producing several impressive saves as the match moved into extra time. The score remained 1-1 after regulation time.

Orlando Pirates continued to apply pressure during the additional 30 minutes, and their persistence finally paid off in the 119th minute. Ghampani Lungu struck a superb volley to send the home supporters into celebration and settle a hard-fought contest.

The victory secured Orlando Pirates’ place in the semi-finals of the MTN8, while Durban City’s resistance ended in extra time despite playing a man down for the second half and the entirety of the additional period.