Orlando Pirates won their 13th MTN8 title on Saturday to close in on archrivals Kaizer Chiefs in the competition’s history. MTN8 final match recap; Mojela’s screamer is a mere footnote Lehlohonolo Mojela scored a stunner in the 12th minute to put a cat among the pigeons for Stellenbosch, but Pirates hit back through big-game player Monnapule Saleng on 43 minutes. Super-sub Tshegofatso Mabasa put Pirates in front on 91 minutes amid huge controversy after a free kick was taken a few yards ahead of where the foul took place.
Referee Abongile Tom allowed the goal. Relebohile Mofokeng put the icing on the cake in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time. 3-1 to Pirates is how it ended.
That’s R10 million prize money in the bank for the Buccaneers and another season of bragging rights over Kaizer Chiefs. The Buccaneers have scooped 13 MTN8 titles, closing in on Chiefs’ overall record of 15. Calls for VAR in South African football Renowned local agent Mike Makaab wasn’t hiding his disgust at Abongile Tom’s decision to allow Tshegofatso Mabasa’s 91st-minute strike in the final.
Pirates fans won’t care much as nothing can be changed now. Also, this isn’t even a decision that would usually need VAR intervention; referee Tom should have been close enough to the action to adjudge that the free-kick needed to be retaken from the correct spot. Yet here we are.
Kaizer Chiefs must wait 20 days Amakhosi, meanwhile, have three weeks to wait until their next Betway Premie.
