Kazier Chiefs beat Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban to win the Nedbank Cup trophy and end their ten-year trophy drought on Saturday.
The Amakhosi started brightly, pinning Pirates back early, and were rewarded when Deano van Rooyen’s challenge on Pule Mmodi resulted in a penalty. Gastón Sirino calmly converted from the spot to give Chiefs the lead.
However, Pirates responded swiftly, with Evidence Makgopa, who also scored against Chiefs last weekend, leveling matters with a well-taken finish.
The Buccaneers nearly went ahead before halftime, but Brandon Peterson pulled off a crucial save to deny Mohau Nkota.
The teams were deadlocked at 1-1 at half-time.
The second half saw Pirates continue to threaten, with Nkota missing a golden opportunity from close range. Chiefs, however, grew stronger as the game wore on, and Mmodi came close when his effort struck the post.
The decisive moment came late when captain Yusuf Maart reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box, firing past Sipho Chaine to spark wild celebrations among the Amakhosi faithful.
Celebration for Chiefs fans
Ecstatic Kaizer Chiefs fans are celebrating their team’s victory over Orlando Pirates.
The nail-biting final was played before a sold-out crowd, with thousands of other fans watching the game on big screens at public viewing areas on the beachfront and Albert Park in the CBD.
This is how Kaizer Chiefs fans reacted to their team breaking a 10-year cup drought:
