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Chiefs claim Nedbank Cup glory, end decade-long trophy drought

football10 May 2025 15:44| © Backpage TXT
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Kaizer Chiefs defeated arch-rivals Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon, ending a decade-long trophy drought.

Yusuf Maart scored a superb goal late on to secure victory for the Amakhosi, who had taken an early lead via a Gaston Sirino penalty, only to be pegged back by an equaliser from Evidence Makgopa.

The result sees Chiefs claim a first piece of major silverware since 2015, when they won the Premiership title in the first tenure of coach Stuart Baxter, while the Buccaneers missed out on equalling their own record of a hat-trick of National Cup triumphs.

Chiefs were awarded a debatable penalty early in the match when Pule Mmodi appeared to be tripped up by Deano van Rooyen.

Gaston Sirino took the spot kick and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 in the 10th minute.

Pirates needed just seven minutes to draw level at 1-1, with Evidence Makgopa – who scored his team’s equaliser in the league match between the teams last weekend – powering home a header after meeting a fine free kick from Deon Hotto.

The Buccaneers nearly claimed the lead on 35 minutes via Mohau Nkota, who cut inside from the right and fired a low shot on target, but Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen made a sharp save at his near post.

The score remained 1-1 through halftime and into the second half, with Pirates making the first substitution just past the hour mark when they swopped out Makgopa for Tshegofatso Mabasa, while Chiefs responded by sending on rugged midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa.

The Amakhosi enjoyed a strong spell of pressure with about 15 minutes of regulation time remaining, with Mmodi notably striking the post with a crisp volley in the 78th minute after fine work from another sub, Mduduzi Shabalala.

And just two minutes later the team in gold and black were rewarded with a second goal, as Yusuf Maart latched onto Ashley du Preez’s cross from the right of the penalty area and drilled home a low strike off the left foot to make it 2-1.

Pirates pushed hard in the dying minutes for an equaliser, coming closest via Hotto, who struck a fine effort on target direct from a free kick but was denied by a sharp save from Petersen.

Mabasa also had a glancing header from a corner kick which flashed across the goal mouth and passed just wide of the far post.

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2 (Sirino 10’ pen, Maart 80’)

Orlando Pirates (1) 1 (Makgopa 17’)

Chiefs: Petersen, Solomons, Kwinika, Miguel, Dove, Maart (Castillo 88’), Cele (Mthethwa 63’), Lilepo (Matlou 88’), Sirino (Shabalala 73’), Mmodi, Duba (Du Preez 73’)

Pirates: Chaine, Van Rooyen (Shandu 86’), Sibisi, Mbokazi, Hotto, Makhaula (Dlamini 74’), Mbatha, Nkota (Kimvuidi 74’), Maswanganyi, Mofokeng, Makgopa (Mabasa 62’)

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