Can Pirates win the Telkom Knockout Cup in seven Finals?
Can Pirates break their Cup duck?
Posted: 2011-12-09 09:44
Saturday's Telkom Knockout Final will be Orlando Pirates' seventh – but they have never won the Cup. Can they do it in 2011?
Pirates made the League Cup final in 1987 and 1990, when it was known as the John Player Special Knockout; in 1995, when it was the Coca-Cola Cup; in 2000 as the Rothmans Cup; and in 2008 and 2011 as the Telkom Knockout.
In 1987, Bucs came up against Bush Bucks in the Final of the JPS Knockout. They took the first leg 3-1; Mlungisi Ngubane scored for Bush Bucks with a free-kick, but Basil Steenkamp got a brace, and Tebogo Moloi scored a screamer, to hand Pirates a comfortable win.
But Bush Bucks turned the tables in the second leg, with Barnet Gondwe and Ngubane handing Imbabala a 2-0 win, levelling the score – the away goal rule did not exist in the competition back then.
Bush Bucks then took the replay Final 2-1; Moloi scored for Pirates, but it was not enough as Calvin Petersen bagged a brace and broke Bucs' hearts.
In 1990 Pirates again made the Final, but this time they were dismissed by Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Brazilians won the first leg 1-0, thanks to a goal by Zane Moosa, and a 1-1 draw in the second leg – with a goal apiece from Ian Palmer and Harold 'Jazzy Queen' Legodi – handed Sundowns a win on aggregate.
16 years ago, in a carbon copy of this weekend's match, Wits University met Pirates in the 1995 Coca-Cola Cup Final.
Wits went into the match as favourites. They did not disappoint, as Nigerian Benson Otiti headed home from a free-kick just before half-time to hand The Students the win.
Five years later, Bucs and Ajax Cape Town met in the 2000 Rothmans Cups Final, in what would turn out to be one of the most exciting matches in Mzansi football history.
In the first match the two sides played to a 1-1 stalemate after extra time, Edelbert Dinha's second half goal being cancelled out by Steve Lekoelea.
Ajax returned to FNB Stadium for the replay, and the young Cape side hammered Pirates 4-1. Carlo Scott and Brett Evans scored early goals, and Scott got a brace later on. Jeremy Jansen added the fourth, and Jerry Sikhosana scored a consolation goal for Pirates.
In the 2008 Telkom Knockout they lost again to Ajax, 2-1. Ajax were 2-0 up after 16 minutes after two goals from Mabhuti Khenyeza, and substitute Siphelele Mthembu's late consolation goal was not enough to break Pirates' duck.
In the 2011 edition, Chiefs beat Pirates 3-0 at Soccer City, through a brace from Sthembiso Ngcobo and a goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala. It was a record-extending 13th title in this competition for Amakhosi, but made it six finals without a win for the Buccaneers.
Wits League Cup record
Wits, on the other hand, have a 66.6 (recurring) percent win record in the League Cup; they have made the final three times, and won it twice.
In 1985 Wits beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in a replay, after the two-legged Final ended 2-2, and in 1995 they beat Pirates 1-0 in the match recalled above.
The Clever Boys were losing finalists in 1983, when Chiefs beat them 2-1.
: 2011-12-09 10:18
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