Orlando Pirates took a giant step towards CAF Champions League semi-final qualification when they secured a 1-0 victory away to MC Alger of Algeria in the quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
Jose Riveiro’s team weathered the storm with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine keeping them in the game with some brilliant saves before substitute Mohau Nkota scored what turned out to be the winning goal.
Nkota had been on the pitch for just five minutes when he made a good run in the box before being fed by Relebohile Mofokeng to slot home in the 65th minute.
The 20-year-old showed great strength and determination to shrug of two MC Alger players before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper for the goal, his third in the Champions League this season, after scoring a brace in Algeria again as Pirates beat CR Belouizdad 2-1 at the group stage.
MC Alger’s missed opportunities
That came after Pirates had required the heroic saves of Chaine to stay in the contest as the hosts ran rings around their defence but could not get past the goalkeeper.
Chaine made two early saves from set pieces before he came up trumps to deny Mohamed Bangoura, who had gotten the better of Nkosinathi Sibisi, to get in on goal but the custodian’s outstretched leg denied him.
Pirates had a moment of worry when Evidence Makgopa was stretchered off in the 27th minute but the striker was later treated and returned to the pitch.
Two minutes later, Zakaria Naidji should have broken the deadlock when he found himself free at the near post but could not find the target as the first half ended goalless.
How did Pirates secure victory?
After the break, Bangoura fired low after Pirates had given away possession in the 54th minute but Deano van Rooyen blocked his goal-bound shot before Naidji also missed from close range when he fired just inches wide while in the box.
Chaine then came out on top again when he made himself big to deny Marwane Khelif who had got in on goal after 62 minutes.
That series of missed chances came back to bite MC Alger when Nkota made a great run to beat two players to the ball and score three minutes later.
However, the home side thought they had equalised when Chaine got hold of the ball from a corner soon after but he dropped it and under a challenge and the Algeria scored but it was denied for a foul.
Pirates coach Jose Riveiro then made a host of changes aimed at defending the lead as his side saw off their opponents to take a 1-0 advantage to the return leg on home soil on April 9.
