In what has been a day of upsets, minnows and national first division side Casric Stars did a number on Orlando Pirates, eliminating them from the Nedbank Cup with a 5-4 win via penalty kicks at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.
First, and earlier in the day, it was Mamelodi Sundowns, who were stunned by TS Galaxy with an impressive 2-0 win at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in KwaMhlanga, and now it is the Buccaneers who are sent packing out of the Ke Yona Cup competition.
Casric now join AmaZulu, TS Galaxy, Durban City, and Golden Arrows in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup.
The Buccaneers entered the game slightly wounded following their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Sundowns midweek; therefore, they needed a positive response against a tricky Casric side that lies fourth in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou made his intentions clear from the onset by naming a strong starting lineup, with a few changes made from the team that started against Sundowns.
Be that as it may, Pirates did not have an inspiring first half, as the visitors came out strong and did not give them a lot of chances to threaten their goal, and went into the break goalless – just as Casric coach Bucs Mthombeni had planned, building up to the game.
The second half was pretty much the same, with Casric holding their nerves, playing their impressive brand of football, and defending well enough to take the game to extra-time.
Pirates continued banging on the door in search of that solitary goal in extra-time, but the stubborn and disciplined Casric defense held on and took the game to penalties.
As they usually say in football, penalties are like playing the lottery, and it was the Motsepe Foundation Championship side who got the jackpot, dumping the favourites and PSL cup specialists, Orlando Pirates, out of the tournament.
