Mihlali Baleka at the FNB Stadium
The month of love is upon us. And Patrick Maswanganyi and Orlando Pirates endeared themselves to the heart of ‘The Ghost’ in the grandest stage in the land on Saturday.
Maswanganyi defied the pressure of the Soweto Derby, in stoppage time, as he scored a ‘panenka’ penalty to help Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 at a sold-out FNB Stadium.
The Bucs didn’t only earn the country’s bragging rights, but their love-story with The Ghost, who believe they can return to the top of SA football this season, continued.
But while this victory meant the world to Pirates – their fourth in the last six meetings with Chiefs – it might have shattered Chiefs in the process.
Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi endured his first Premiership loss in the derby as his roller-coaster start to the season and life at the club continued.
Sure, Chiefs lost the battle, but goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma fought a good fight – one that made this match worthy, though it ended up being another romantic chapter for Pirates.
Romantic stories are usually defined by happy endings, but leading up to that, there are good and bad moments which are created.
The two arch-rivals gave an exhibition of their romantic stories here. They lulled their fans to rally behind them as they had a go at each other on the pitch.
Pirates have had good memories with their supporters this season. Hence, it was a no-brainer that they received more love from the ‘Ghost’, who dominated in the stands.
But Chiefs, who still needed to worm into the hearts of their faithful, had the Midas touch for the better part of the first half, caressing the ‘gold-and-black nation’.
Pule Mmodi had a chance to find the breakthrough and pen the first chapter of Chiefs’ story, after going one-on-one with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine.
However, Mmodi wasted a glorious chance to win over the Chiefs faithful as he made too many touches inside the box, resulting in Chaine stretching out his hand to make the save.
That miss seemed to have rattled Amakhosi’s bench as all three coaches – head coach Nabi and assistants Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze – stood up to bark instructions.
Nabi needed to win not for his first game since his two-match suspension, but to restore the faith the Chiefs supporters had in him when he was appointed as coach. But the wait continued...
Mduduzi Shabalala, who dreamt of playing in this game since growing up in Senaoane, a township here in Soweto, became the Amakhosi anchor, conducting Chiefs’ play in the engine room.
But all for his hard work, Chiefs couldn’t penetrate Pirates’ wall and reach the destination, the back of the net, as Player of the Match Makhehleni Makhaula cut their ties loose with aplomb.
The Soweto Derby is a two-edged sword – it brings together and divides. It was, after all, 55 years ago that Chiefs’ management separated from Pirates to form the club.
Add to the fact that when the two meet, battle lines are always drawn. These are traits that Pirates striker Tshegofatso Mabasa also embodies when it comes to the game and his family.
Mabasa’s family members are staunch Chiefs supporters. As such, he had vowed to disappoint them on Saturday and help Pirates to win.
The 28-year-old had a chance to do that and write his first love chapter with the derby by scoring his first goal, but he missed from close-range before halftime.
Mabasa tried to make up for lost ground in the second half with a shot at goal, but Bvuma kept out his effort as he eyed his third successive clean sheet.
‘Cocomelon football’, which we’ve come to love and appreciate from the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng, dried up in this game as the youngsters rarely came to the party – including Mohau Nkota, 20, who was substituted at halftime.
Mofokeng, who’s already written romantic chapters with all and sundry in the land, nearly brought it back into life in the second half, but Bvuma was again equal to the task.
Nabi threw Thabo Cele and Makabi Lilepo into the fray for their respective debuts after joining the team this week.
𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭 😲
Maswanganyi seals it for Orlando Pirates at the death 😤⚽
📺 Stream #BetwayPrem on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc @McDonalds_SA pic.twitter.com/qg81d87DUY
They huffed and puffed to make their contributions, but boy, the afternoon looked to belong to Bvuma, who ensured that Chiefs nearly salvaged a point from this match.
Bvuma blocked Deon Hotto’s grass-cutter from close-range before the duo went into another one-on-one duel, which resulted in the goalkeeper parrying the shot away for a corner.
But Pirates left it late as they broke Bvuma and Chiefs’ hearts.
Relebohile Mofokeng won a penalty for Pirates after referee Masixole Bambiso adjudged Njabulo Blom to have brought him down inside the box.
‘Tito’, Pirates’ fan favourite, coolly slotted home his panenka to send the Ghost into a frenzy as his and Pirates’ story added another chapter.
* In the other Premiership clash on Saturday afternoon, Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United drew 1-1 at the Danie Craven Stadium.
Chumani Butsaka opened the scoring for Stellenbosch in the sixth minute.
But Sekhukhune hit back through a Sipho Mbule goal in the 22nd minute, and then secured a point despite a red card to Siphesihle Mkhize in the 28th minute.