AmaZulu, Pirates set for first cup clash in 24 years

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Nov 02, 2018. 11:00

AmaZulu and Orlando Pirates will meet in a cup match for the first time since 1994 when they battle for a place in the Telkom Knockout semifinals. The teams will face off at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, 3 November 2018, kick-off at 18h00.

AmaZulu and Pirates last clashed in a cup game 24 years ago, with the Soweto side winning their BP Top 8 third-place playoff 2-1. It was the Buccaneers’ second victory in three cup games against Usuthu since 1985, with the Durban side registering one win in the sequence.

Across all competitions, the clubs have met in 59 matches since 1985. Pirates have racked up 26 wins compared to 11 for AmaZulu, with 22 games drawn.

Their most recent meeting was a league clash in early October at the King Zwelithini Stadium which ended in a 1-1 draw: Augusine Mulenga’s early strike for the Soweto giants was cancelled out by a goal from Emiliano Tade.

The result extended Pirates’ unbeaten run against AmaZulu to six matches and also brought up a sixth draw from the last nine meetings of the teams.

AmaZulu earned their place in the final eight of the Telkom Knockout with an impressive 2-0 home win over MTN8 champions Cape Town City on October 23. Tade and Bongi Ntuli scored the goals as the Durban side completed the quarterfinal line-up.

Usuthu won their only League Cup title in 1992, while they have already surpassed their appearance in last year’s Telkom Knockout, which ended in the last 16 when they were beaten 3-0 by Kaizer Chiefs.

Pirates had to work hard for their place in this phase of the TKO, edging Chippa United 1-0 at home on October 20. The Soweto side’s goal was scored by in-form attacker Vincent Pule, who has been a key player for them in 2018/19.

The Buccaneers have won the Telkom Knockout just once (2011) and last season got as far as the quarterfinals before they were eliminated on penalties (after a 2-2 draw) by Polokwane City.