Midfielder Oupa Manyisa netted a scorching long-range shot to ensure back-to-back MTN8 trophies for Orlando Pirates and a 1-0 win over Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the final at FNB Stadium on Saturday evening.
With scores deadlocked at 0-0 at the end of regulation time, the match went into 30 minutes of additional time, with Manyisa netting in the 107th minute.
The diminutive player had scored what was arguably the goal of the tournament in the second leg semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns two weeks ago, and unleashed another thunderous pile driver from 30m out after receiving a pass from fullback Ruben Cloete.
Pirates, who won the cup last season, collected the R8-million cheque that went with the title — their eighth in the top-eight competition since its inception back in 1972.
The Buccaneers might also have felt vindicated after referee Victor Hlungwani disallowed a goal from substitute Bongani Ndulula on the stroke of regulation time.
The striker was judged to have pushed Chiefs’ defender Dominic Isaacs in the box before completing his header.
The match started in typical fashion for a final, with neither of the teams yielding an inch.
Both goalkeepers went untested in an uninspiring first half of the match, played in front of 91 525 people.
Midway through the opening stanza, Pirates winger Tlou Segolela fashioned a shot from a distance but his effort went sailing abysmally wide.
Chiefs, often deadly at set-pieces, were soon offered a free-kick outside the penalty area, with their dead ball specialist, Siphiwe Tshabalala, sending an ambitious attempt way over Moeneeb Josephs’ goal.
There were headers apiece shortly before the break with Pirates striker Ndumiso Mabena and Lehlohonolo Majoro from Chiefs failing to find the back of the net.
Pirates started off more sprightly in the second half, utilising the elusive pace of Segolela, with defender Siyabonga Sangweni heading narrowly over the bar from a corner kick on the hour mark.
A replica chance fell to Sangweni on the 70th minute, but this time he drew a one-handed save from Khune.
Chiefs came to life in the final 10 minutes of regular time, with substitute S’thembiso Ngcobo — who replaced the ineffective Majoro in the second period — garnering two chances in the space of a minute.
First, the gangling striker forced a save from Josephs, diving to his right hand side, with a powerful shot on his stronger left foot, and then from the resultant corner kick, Ngcobo manoeuvred a shot that went wide of goal.
Chiefs looked more sharper from the start of additional time with two chances falling to debutant substitute Willard Katsade with the Zimbabwean midfielder fashioning two shots on the edge of the box that went wide of goal.
A moment of Manyisa inspiration, however, went on to steal the show in the second minute of the second half of extra time as the Buccaneers collected the Soweto bragging rights — at least, for another week.
The two sides clash again next Saturday in a Premiership match at the same venue. – Sapa