Lady Luck smiles twice on Orlando Pirates as they beat AmaZulu in the Nedbank Cup

Cape Town — Lady Luck smiled twice on Orlando Pirates, who ran out 1-0 winners over AmaZulu in a Nedbank Cup first-round match at Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon, after a goalless first half.

AmaZulu were denied a first-half penalty after Pirates midfielder Goodman Mosele handled the ball twice in quick succession as he fell to the ground while trying to stop AmaZulu attacker Zambian Augustine Mulenga just inside the penalty area

The second slice of good luck came in the final minutes when AmaZulu's Abraham Majok missed a penalty.

Pirates grabbed the initiative from the start with a high-press game. They enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the opening half and were particularly penetrative down the flanks where their fullbacks frequently came into play.

After 20 minutes, they had exerted a fair bit of pressure on the AmaZulu defence, who conceded three corners during that stage. Pirates seem to trigger shy in the striking zone and on occasion when they looked like making a breakthrough AmaZulu's rearguard stood firm.

There were, however, two powder-puff shots that AmaZulu keeper Veli Mothwa gathered without raising a sweat. The Pirates quartet Olisa Ndah, Happy Jele, Paseka Mako and Thabang Monare who forced their way into the starting line-up all made their presence felt.

Pirates’ best scoring chance in the first half came in the fifth minute when a Deon Hotto corner flew across the AmaZulu penalty area. Mothwa came well off his line and missed the ball leaving Mosele, positioned unmarked opposite the far post, a free chance at goal. He headed the ball past the far upright with open goas in front of him.

In the 25th minute, the match came to a sudden halt when referee Masixole Bambiso stood with the ball in