Dan Malesela's gallant Marumo send Orlando Pirates packing on penalties

Orlando Pirates suffered a second successive humiliating defeat when they were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by holders Marumo Gallants on penalties at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Buccaneers came to this last-16 clash on the back of 2-1 DStv Premiership defeat against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby at the weekend. That defeat, their third in a row in league matches against Chiefs, dented Bucs' slim hopes of challenging Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title.

Bucs crashed out 5-4 on penalties after the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate in 120 minutes.

Pirates missed their last three penalties and Marumo goalkeeper King Ndlovu scored the winning spot-kick for coach, and 1980s Pirates legend and captain, Dan “Dance” Malesela’s Gallants when kicks went to sudden death when the first five ended in a 4-4 draw.

The defeat may signal the end, or at least the beginning of the end, of Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids' reign as Bucs co-coaches.

Marumo took the lead via Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo’s 20th-minute penalty and Pirates replied through Bandile Shandu’s well-taken strike inside the area in the 30th minute.

The encounter started at a frantic pace with both sides looking for an early goal.

It was the visitors’ striker Zakhele Lepasa, however, who had a better chance to open the score in the 10th minute when Deon Hotto crossed for him from the left. The gangling striker fluffed an easy tap-in, his shot going way off target.

Ndlondo’s shot from range in the 15th minute was brilliantly tipped away for a corner by Richard Ofori who made a long-awaited return between the poles for Pirates. A minute later referee Christopher Kistoor denied Marumo a clear penalty when Bucs striker Kwame Peprah handled inside the area.

Bucs ran out of luck in the 20th minute when skipper Happy Jele felled Joseph Molangoane inside the area and Kistoor rightfully pointed to the spot, giving Ndlondlo a chance to beat Ofori with the penalty kick.

Pirates did well to come back after this setback, Lepasa feeding overlapping right-back Shandu a great pass. Shandu coolly beat Ndlovu inside the area with a low shot, his cup goal being his sixth in all competitions this season and the reason Hugo Broos included him in Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad for the friendlies against Guinea and France later this month.

The second half deteriorated into a ping-pong scramble with no side able to take the few chances that they created.

The game had to go to extra time where Bucs were unlucky not to take the lead inside the first 15 minutes with substitute striker Tshegofatso Mabasa hitting the upright. Molangoane should have punished Pirates five minutes before the end of extra time, the midfielder shooting wide after beating the visitors’ badly executed offside trap.

But in the end Ndlovu settled the matter with a cool penalty to book his side a spot in the competition’s quarterfinals where they joined Sundowns, who beat amateur side Mathaithai 6-0 on Tuesday night.