ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Pretoria | Monday 10.15am.
Sundowns 0 Orlando Pirates 1 (Dennis Lota 17)
DENNIS Lota continued his good scoring form with an angled shot from just inside the penalty area giving Orlando Pirates victory in the first leg of a Rothmans Cup semi-final.
Steve Lekoelea set up the goal with a pass across the pitch to captain Thabo Mngomeni who found Lota and the Zambian international midfielder turned before scoring with a low shot that went in off the base of the post.
Lota, who has not always met expectations since joining the Buccaneers, scored a hat-trick against Africa Sports of Cote d’Ivoire in the African Cup Winners Cup semi-finals last weekend.
While Pirates had the better of a first half watched by a large crowd in hot conditions and were unlucky when Sibusiso Zuma was ruled offside after planting the ball in the net, they came under constant second-half pressure.
Even the most partisan Buccaneer could not have complained had the ‘Brazilians’ equalised as the home team created several good chances only to be let down by timid finishing, ill luck and good goalkeeping from Williams Okpara.
Striker Daniel Mudau, normally sharper than a fresh razor blade, could only glance skywards several times and wonder how he failed to boost a considerable career goal tally.
Big, dreadlocked Cameroonian Alain Amougou, an early second-half replacement for ineffective Kenny Niemach, also spurned good chances, notably a free header when Pirates stood motionless believing he was offisde.
In a hectic finish, Papi Khomane booted a Mudau header off the line, Okpara foiled Amougou and Charles Motlohi, Warren Lewis struck the post for Pirates and Zuma saw a delicate chip beat John Tlale only to go wide.
The return match will be staged at FNB Stadium on Saturday November 13… three days after Free State Stars host Manning Rangers in the first leg of the other semi-final.