Orlando Pirates ease into fifth successive MTN8 final with win over Sekhukhune

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Pirates[/a] are seeking a fifth title in a row in a competition they have dominated since 2020, and will face either [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Mamelodi Sundowns[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/golden-arrows/C6CjDdNg/"]Lamontville Golden Arrows[/a] in the decider.[/p][p]Those two play in Durban on Sunday with Abafana Bes’thende holding a surprise 1-0 lead from the first leg.  [/p][p]Pirates took the lead against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sekhukhune/UySmgAPp/"]Sekhukhune[/a] on 37 minutes having had several other opportunities and it was a youngster who netted for them. [/p][image alt="Match statistics" id="487951bb-7c5f-4432-824c-64c509c889f7" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e3ad4292-116d-40bb-88c3-d9305115de53" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mokobodi-thapelo/29r0eo6M/"]Thapelo Mokobodi[/a] only arrived at the club last month from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/stellenbosch-fc/fJsWcA5b/"]Stellenbosch FC[/a] but impressed and scored with a side-footed finish as he latched onto a pass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbuthuma-yanela/Yau3xnYk/"]Yanela Mbuthuma[/a].[/p][p]It was his first goal as a professional since he scored for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marumo-gallants/Gnghzo3C/"]Marumo Gallants[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/black-leopards/joVtOm40/"]Black Leopards[/a] in the Motsepe Foundation Championship in May 2024.[/p][p]It was 2-0 just two minutes later when the in-form Gamphani Lungu was fed by Mbuthuma again following a lightning quick break and scored his third goal in six games to go with some notable assists.   [/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="7e1c06bf-9e63-49f8-8c6b-188943b562d0" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8b35c6c6-6ee4-4a4b-82e2-9a848137d79c" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Pirates have now not lost an MTN8 semi-final tie since 2012. Since 2020, they have lost only two of their 24 MTN8 matches, and one of those did not matter in the end.[/p][p]They were beaten 2-1 at home by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/swallows-fc/SnHWoCTb/"]Moroka Swallows[/a] in the quarter-finals in 2021 in a surprise result and lost 1-0 on their own patch to Stellenbosch FC in 2023 in the second leg of a semi-final tie, but still advanced on the away-goals rule.[/p][p]For the rest, they have 17 wins and five draws in that time.[/p][p]They have also extended their unbeaten run at the start of the season to seven matches (W6 D1). Pirates have scored 13 goals and conceded two. [/p]