GU advances to the next round

| Monday March 1, 2010 00:00

 

The first leg of this first round tie was played in the Botswana capital two weeks ago ended goalless. Pirates were coasting at 2-0 until Katlego Mashego headed home an own goal from a Vincent Phiri corner in the 86th minute and two minutes later substitute Stephen Maposa headed home the equaliser and sunk Bucs hopes giving the Botswana champions a major upset.

The loss could also signal the end of coach Ruud Krol's two year stay at Pirates having failed to win the Absa Premiership and now suffering defeat to the minnows of Botswana in the first round of a competition Bucs were expected to get to at least the quarterfinal stage.

PSL champions SuperSport United are South Africa's only representatives in Africa's premier club competition after beating Swaziland champions Mbabane Swallows 5-3 on aggregate at the weekend. Bucs after a disappointing domestic league season and minus four strikers failed to keep their concentration and focus when it mattered most. To their credit United never stopped running and were rewarded with two stunning last gasp goals that sunk the once mighty Buccaneers.

The match was used to launch the official opening of the stadium which is one of the new venues to be used during the 2010 World Cup which kicks off in June. Pirates had a strikers' crisis before the match with Krol having to take the field without four forwards in Siphelele Mthembu, Terror Fanteni, Gert Schalkwyk and Thulasizwe Mbuyane who were all injured. Krol was forced to draft in rookie striker Ndumiso Mabena alongside Mashego as his two pronged attack. It was Mashego who got the breakthrough in the 40th minute when he did brilliantly to beat four defenders and slot the ball past United keeper Kgosietsile Senjoba to put the Buccaneers into a deserved 1-0 lead in a dangerous counter attack.

Mashego showed early on that he was determined to get onto the score sheet. He tested Senjoba in the second minute with a left footed drive that the Botswana keeper did well to save.

Bucs stormed the Gaborone goal and should have led in the 14th minute but Happy Jele shot wide when he had the goal at his mercy with Senjoba well beaten. But just when United were starting to gain in confidence and had the Pirates goal and keeper Senzo Meyiwa under pressure, Mashego scored on the counter attack and gave the 1995 African champions a vital 1-0 lead at the interval.

Bucs went 2-0 ahead in the 54th minute when diminutive winger Bennett Chenene thudded home an unstoppable header after a pin point cross from Dikgang Mabalane. Pirates almost made it 3-0 five minutes later but this time Mabena headed a Mabalane corner over the crossbar.

Mabena shot over the crossbar again on 69 minutes after he received a clever through ball from substitute Dennis Masina.

United were there for the taking but Bucs went to sleep and underestimated their opponents and paid the price. Just when it looked safe for Pirates Mashego headed home a Phiri corner for a stunning own goal to give United a lifeline and Bucs a nervous last four minutes in which they cracked.

Maposa headed home another Phiri corner two minutes later for the equaliser that saw Bucs go out of the competition in the first round. (Supersport)