Orlando Pirates tamed Mamelodi Sundowns with an emphatic 3-0 win in the second leg, taking them to the finals of the MTN 8.
The initial parts of the first half were extremely cagey, as both teams tried to dominate possession using the crowd as their fuel.
Seven minutes in, Monnapule Saleng went on a run down the right, tormenting Aubrey Modiba and finding Kermit Erasmus with a chip, and he finished with a clinical header, haunting his former club, giving Pirates a vital away goal, and KaboYellow needing two goals to win.
Masandawana pushed and probed in the remainder of the first half, but could only force one proper save out of goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane. Teboho Mokoena then had a long range effort, comfortably caught by Mpontshane in the 46th minute, ending the half 1-0.
Mamelodi Sundowns came out first in the second stanza, with their first shot on target coming from early substitute Gift Motupa, but it was gathered easily by Mpontshane in the 56th minute. Sundowns looked more of a threat in this half, bringing forth attacks, wave after wave.
Orlando Pirates did everything to manage the game, and only attacked via counterattacks which were extremely effective. In a rare goal attempt, Marcelo Allende turned in the box, and had a shot that lacked power and was gobbled up by Mpontshane in minute 76th.
Saleng then went on to get the second goal to double the tally, off a Zakhele Lepasa assist, killing off the tie, with Sundowns needing three goals to take it to extra time. In the 87th minute, Motupa received a pass in the air from Mokoena, but his shot glanced off the bar.
Finally, Saleng got onto the ball in the box, and curled the ball into the top corner to make it 3-0 in the 92nd minute, sending Pirates comfortably into the final.
