Orlando Pirates book second final spot after win over Richards Bay in Carling Knockout

Having already lifted the MTN8 trophy earlier in the campaign, the Buccaneers are now on course for a domestic double, a remarkable feat for head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou in his debut season with the club. The result also underlined the team's growing consistency and confidence in high-stakes matches.

From the outset, Pirates dominated possession and dictated the tempo, particularly in the first half, but struggled to convert their control into clear-cut chances. Their first real threat came in the 18th minute when Sipho Mbule delivered a clever through ball to Yanela Mbuthuma, whose effort was comfortably saved by Richards Bay goalkeeper Ian Otieno.

The home side found it difficult to break through the Buccaneers' solid defensive structure. Their only notable first-half opportunity arrived from a set-piece, which saw Knox Mutizwa flagged offside before he could get a shot away.

In the 37th minute, Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi nearly opened the scoring, but his effort was blocked before Oswin Appollis forced a routine save from Otieno.

Moments later, Pirates finally broke the deadlock, Appollis sent a superb diagonal pass to Tshepang Moremi, who cut inside from the left and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to give his side a well-deserved lead before the break.

Richards Bay showed greater intent in the second half, pushing men forward in search of an equalizer, but struggled to breach the resilient Pirates defense marshalled by Sibisi and Tapelo Xoki. Despite their pressure, the Soweto giants remained composed, defending in numbers and threatening on the counterattack.

In the end, Moremi's first-half strike proved decisive as Pirates held firm to secure a hard-fought victory, booking a spot in the Carling Knockout final and keeping their dream of a second trophy this season very much alive.