The Amakhosi were able to score what could prove to be a crucial goal away from home as they drew the first leg of their two legged MTN 8 Semi Final clash 1-1 against arch rivals Orlando Pirates.

A large crowd at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg saw Isaac Chansa give Pirates a 47th minute lead, Knowledge Musona who has been in rich vein of goal scoring form managed to draw Chiefs level with a well taken goal in the 60th minute.

The game began with both teams not gambling much as they tested each other out, as the first half entered its latter stages the game seemed to open up more, Chiefs created the best scoring opportunity of the half in the 36th minute.

A patient build up from the back saw Tshabalala get the ball on the half way line he in turn played it up to Masango, who noticed Musona wide to his right and quickly played the ball to him.

The Zimbabwean skipped past Lekgwathi and drove the ball at goal from a difficult angle on the right inside the Pirates 18 yard area, his shot was prevented from going in by Pirates keeper Moeneeb Josephs who divided at full length to stop the ball.

In the second half Pirates were off to the best start possible as they took the lead 120 seconds after the restart, Daine Klate swung in a corner from the right which Teko Modise headed backwards and Chansa connected magically with the ball and drove it past Khune to put Pirates ahead.

Chiefs somehow came to life after going a goal down and came close to levelling matters when Valery Nahayo was able to head Tshabalala’s cross from the right towards goal but he missed the target by a matter of inches.

With all the attacking they were doing it was only a matter of time before the Amakhosi drew level their deserved equalizer came after some good work by Jimmy Tau who pushed up the right flank and sent in a telling ball along the ground.

Musona stationed inside the Pirates 18 yard area managed to get to the ball and turned and shot towards goal leaving Josephs rooted to the ground as his 60th minute effort beat the Pirates keeper to bring Chiefs level.

Musona had the chance to have put Chiefs in the lead in the 68th minute after picking up the lose ball he stored towards goal but shot wide from around 16 yards away from the target.

Modise squandered a great chance to put Pirates in front after being picked out by Tlou Segolela whose build up play was brilliant as he was able to see of three Chiefs players before picking out Modise. The Pirates playmaker could not make up his mind as to what to do with the shot and hesitated before being dispossessed by Nahayo.

Itumeleng Khune showed why he is the country’s number one shot stopper as he pulled out a top drawer save to prevent Segolela’s long range effort from sneaking past him in the 81st minute, as he made a fantastic one handed save to stop the ball.

Chiefs can take a lot of heart out of their performance which could have seen them walk away with a win, in the end a 1-1 draw does favour the Amakhosi with the second leg to come on the 25th September at the same venue.

Line Up’s:

Pirates: Josephs, Cloete, Mahamutsa, Lekgwathi, Jele, Chansa, Jali, Modise (Ngobeni 86’), Klate (Segolela 69’), Msowoya (Otorugu 69’), Mbuyane

Chiefs: Khune, Nahayo, Masenamela (Jambo 86’), Nahayo, Isaacs, Letsholonyane, Yende, Tshabalala, Masango (Nale 69’), Musona, Ngcobo (Dladla 79’)