Orlando Pirates reach the MTN8 final after beating Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties | OneFootball

Orlando Pirates reach the MTN8 final after beating Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties

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A dramatic penalty shootout sealed Orlando Pirates' passage to the MTN8 final, as they overcame Mamelodi Sundowns 4-1 on spot-kicks following a tense two-legged affair.

The decisive second leg at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium was a battle of attrition, ending in a 1-1 stalemate that left the aggregate score perfectly poised at 2-2, forcing the match to be decided from twelve yards.

Pirates approached the clash with minimal changes, making only a single adjustment to their starting eleven from their midweek fixture against Stellenbosch. An injury to Deano Van Rooyen paved the way for Patrick Maswanganyi's inclusion, a shift that saw Kamogelo Sebelebele drop into the right-back role while Maswanganyi occupied the central number ten position.

In stark contrast, their opponents, Masandawana, opted for a sweeping overhaul. They reintroduced eight of their first-choice players, completely revamping the lineup that had faced Magesi FC just days before.

The match ignited within the first two minutes as Orlando Pirates' Deon Hotto unleashed a menacing strike that seemed certain to break the deadlock, only to curl agonizingly wide of the post, providing an early scare for the home crowd.

Sundowns, playing on their home turf, initially found it challenging to break down a resolute Pirates defense, struggling to engineer meaningful forays into the visitors' penalty area.

Yet, the home side gradually discovered their rhythm. Growing into the game, Bafana Ba Style started to mount pressure and were ultimately rewarded in the 17th minute. A costly defensive error from Lebone Seema, whose clearance fell favourably for the hosts, allowed Iqraam Rayners to pounce on the loose ball and calmly slot it home to open the scoring.