With the match screaming for a moment of magic as it drew close to fulltime, Mbekezeli Mbokazi delivered a top drawer scorcher that sunk Siwelele FC and held the Sea Robbers’ sail to the last eight of the Carling Knockout Cup.
The 20-year-old Pirates central defender and skipper sent The Ghost inside the Orlando Stadium to ruptures when his stunning swerving strike from distance separated the two sides.
The 87th minute winner saved Bucs blushes after striker Evidence Makgopa’s fifth minute spotkick was kept out by the upright after he sent Siwelele keeper Samkelo Xulu the wrong way.
Mbokazi’s goal arrived when the match looked destined for extra-time in a cup competition in which Pirates had battled to win matches despite dominating cup competitions in South Africa in the last four seasons. Pirates were booted out in the last 16 since the League Cup returned two seasons ago.
The goal is a belated birthday gift for the Bafana Bafana defender who turned 20 on September 19 and it confirms why Bafana coach Hugo Broos believes he deserves to play overseas after making his Pirates debut only late last season.
Pirates battled to stamp their authority in this match, playing against a team they’ve already beaten away from home in the league this season. Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou had to make a number of changes in the second half to try and force the win.
The first 45 minutes produced no goals despite a number of entries both sides made inside the box where they made good attempts to score.
Perhaps the best chance for Pirates, outside of the penalty miss by Makgopa was defended by Pirates themselves as Makgopa denied his teammate Oswin Appollis a chance to finish off a good cross from Deon Hotto when he took the ball away from him.
Siwelele were always dangerous on the counterattack and former Kaizer Chiefs players Samir Nurkovic, Christian Saile and Teboho Potsane all had some good chances to test Sipho Chaine in Pirates goal but fluffed them.
It was, however, Siwelele’s defensive midfielder Grant Margerman who was unlucky not to open the score when his shot missed the post narrowly after winning possession in the middle of the park.
Pirates’ attacks were not as silky as they’ve been in recent matches, especially with playmaker Relebohile Mofokeng having a first half to forget as he lost the ball most of the time. Perhaps the presence of Mofokeng’s former teammate Mohau Nkota — who was on the stands after signing for Al-Ettifaq in money-spinning Saudi Arabia — distracted the 20-year-old.
After all, it was Mofokeng who was expected to make a go overseas this season while Nkota’s move came out of the blue and he has made full use of it having started the season well for both the club and Bafana — the team he’s in the country to represent when they play Zimbabwe and Rwanda in two final and crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in the coming days.
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