The Buccaneers advanced to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals despite controversy dominating their match against Usuthu.
What Occurred?
AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin expressed anger after his team’s 4-2 loss to Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals.
Usuthu took the lead with Hendrick Eksten’s goal, but the Buccaneers fought back, beginning with a penalty awarded amid controversy and converted by Patrick Maswanganyi.
Makhehlene Makhaula seemed to have been fouled by Taariq Fielies in the box, becoming the focal point of discussion.
Franco Martin, visibly upset, criticized the incident and highlighted other occurrences that he felt contributed to his team’s downfall.
What Franco Martin Remarked
“Do you want me to talk about football or what really decided this game? I’m asking you, football or what really decided this game?” Franco told SuperSport TV.
“This is the problem we’re having here that the games are decided by some people who aren’t players.
“Again, a scandal, a huge scandal, we played against the best team in [cup] competitions and we reached [for the first time] after 12 years the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup, after 15 minutes where they dominated us, we balanced, we took the lead,” the Spaniard added.
“We won the first half, even if the scoreboard says something different, we won it.
“And in the second half, it was an open game, nice game, nice fight, we got back to 2-2, we hit the crossbar, we could have won the game from there,” he continued.
“But in the end with this score, it’s as if they won in a fair way and it’s not true, it’s something happening the whole season with AmaZulu, the results are decided by someone else, who thinks we don’t have family, that we don’t work very hard.
“We played with discipline and quality and okay we didn’t get the result, when you play against these circumstances, it’s a pity but we’re now used to it, you know, we know what we can expect when we playing this kind of opponents. It’s a shame for the country,” the Usuthu trainer concluded.
The Broader Outlook
Despite initiating their comeback amid controversy, Pirates ultimately demonstrated their merit in winning the match.
They asserted dominance in the latter stages of the game, sealing the contest with a fourth goal in stoppage time that demoralized their opponents.
Maswanganyi concluded the match with a brace and earned the title of Man of the Match.
What’s on the Line for Pirates and AmaZulu?
The Buccaneers and Usuthu will renew their rivalry as they clash in a Premier Soccer League fixture at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
For AmaZulu, it’s a chance to seek retribution after feeling aggrieved by their loss at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
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