Amakhosi end decade-long cup jinx

Desire, grit and zeal.

That was what it took for Kaizer Chiefs to end their trophy drought yesterday — exactly a day and a decade since Amakhosi last won a trophy.

Precious goals by Gaston Sirino and Yusuf Maart in either half will be remembered by Amakhosi supporters. These gave them victory over their fancied Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final, watched by a full crowd of cheering Chiefs supporters at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

But the match will not go down in history as a spectacle, as Chiefs’ win was not a result of superior tactics. What got Amakhosi over the line against a Pirates side that might have been complacent coming to this match after completing five successive victories over Amakhosi in all competitions, was hard work and focus throughout the 90 minutes.

Just last week, Pirates completed a second successive league double over Chiefs coming from behind.

Pirates arrived in Durban expecting to beat Chiefs for the sixth time, and to win this trophy for a third time in a row. Victory for Pirates was also going to be part of a fitting farewell for their coach Jose Riveiro, who leaves the club at the end of this season. But having lost this final, the end of Riveiro’s reign reached an anti-climax.

Not long ago, Pirates were looking good not only to defend this cup but to also challenge Mamelodi Siundowns for the Betway Premiership and win the Caf Champions League. But after being knocked out in the semifinals of the Champions League and losing momentum against Downs in the race to win the league, it was this cup that Riveiro and Bucs thought they had a big chance to add to the MTN8 they won for the third time early this season.

Chiefs only just managed to avoid going down six times in a row against their arch-rivals. On Friday, Chiefs finished 10 years since they last won a trophy, but under pressure, coach Nasreddine Nabi managed to break their duck.

Chiefs were slightly better than Pirates in the first half, and could have gone to the break leading, if there was better linking between Sirino, Glody Lilepo and Pule Mmodi. Wandile Duba, who played as a chief striker for the Amakhosi, saw little of the ball as their main threat to the Pirates box was on the left side, where Lilepo and Mmodi combined and got help from midflelder Thabo Cele, who at times gave away possession without anyone really putting pressure on him.

On the Pirates side, striker Makgopa not only got an equaliser but drove a number of attempts going forward. Chiefs did well to keep both Mohau Nkota and Relebohile Mofokeng quiet on the wings.

The Pirates player who really disappointed was playmaker Patrick Maswanganyi, who never got going and let a couple of passes go astray. The second stanza was more open, and either side could have scored as there were some promising attacks that lacked the final shot on goal. Duba had a brilliant one-two with Cele but his decision not to pass to Lilepo gave Mbekezeli Mbokazi an easy chance to nullify the opening.

Cele was unlucky not to finish the match because of injury, which forced Nabi to substitute him just after the hour mark for a more defensive Sibongiseni Mthethwa.

In those same minutes, Riveiro pulled out Makgopa for Tshegofatso Mabasa. Riveiro’s decision was quite surprising because Makgopa posed a significant threat to the Chiefs defence that looked uncomfortable whenever it was challenged.

Chiefs did look better in attack after Nabi introduced Mduduzi Shabalala and Ashley du Preez for Duba and Sirino, who had both gone off the boil in the second half. Just before Maart got the winner for Chiefs, Shabalala provided a clinical pass to Mmodi, who was unlucky to see his shot hit the upright.

But there was no such luck for Bucs a few minutes later, when Shabalala fed Du Preez who pulled the ball back for Maart to beat Chaine with a fierce ground shot on the left side of the posts.

The win will give Nabi a huge breather, but it doesn’t erase the fact that Chiefs have been poor under his guidance and may finish in their worst ever position in the league.

Nabi still has a year to finish his two-year contract with Chiefs and after this crucial win he could say he deserves to see his much-heralded process through. But only because Maart popped up just outside the area to score a memorable winner.

For Bucs, all that is left is to ensure this loss doesn’t disturb their chance to finish second and qualify for the Champions League for the third season in a row. It is the only gift that Riveiro, who won five domestic cups with Pirates, can leave Bucs with, after Chiefs denied him a chance to become the first coach to win six Soweto derbies.