Nkota nets winner as Pirates snatch vital win against MC Alger

Orlando Pirates moved a step closer to reaching the semifinals of the CAF Champions League after claiming a crucial 1-0 win over MC Alger.

Substitute Mohau Nkota scored the only goal of the match in the first leg of the quarterfinal clash at 5 July 1962 Stadium in Algiers on Wednesday night.

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The near full capacity crowd at the venue was treated with some enterprising football with both teams having a go at each other, but there were no clear cut chances in the first 15 minutes of the match.

While Thalente Mbatha was dictating play in the middle of the park for the Buccaneers, Saliou Bangoura kept their defence busy with his clever runs upfront for MC Alger.

The hosts then took control of ball possession and put the visitors under a lot of pressure, but the Pirates defence led by their evergreen skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi stood strong.

Bangoura came close to giving the home side the lead in the 24th minute when he was sent through on goal, but was denied by Sipho Chaine.

Five minutes Zakaria Naidji wasted a glorious opportunity to put the hosts in the lead when he hit the side netting with a free header following MC Alger’s free kick on the edge of the penalty box.

Captain Mohamed Ayoub Abdellaoui then tried his luck from long range in the 33rd minute, but his shot went wide of goal.

Mbatha also tried his luck for Pirates from long range in the 40th minute, but he too could not find the target.

Chaine made sure that the game remained 0-0 at the break when he denied Naidji from close range following another good attack from the home team.

The hosts took the game to the visitors at the start of the second half as they tried to look for the opener. They were almost rewarded for their efforts through Naidji, but the midfielder’s shot went narrowly wide of goal from close range.

Pirates coach Jose Riveiro introduced Mohau Nkota for Kabelo Dlamini at the hour mark as he tried to inject some pace upfront.

The change proved to be a stroke of genius from the Spanish coach as it took Nkota just six minutes to put Pirates in the lead and bulldozed his way past two MC Alger defenders before putting the ball past the goalkeeper.

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MC Alger thought they had found their equaliser in the 69th minute, but after consultation with the VAR the goal was disallowed for a foul on Chaine.

Pirates hanged on to their slender lead to claim a crucial away win going to the second leg in Orlando next Wednesday.