As Orlando Pirates beat AmaZulu 1-0 in the MTN8 final at over 50,000 fans at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, it meant Bandile Shandu finally won his first trophy at the fourth attempt.
Shandu had reached three finals and in all of them lost, but Monnapule Saleng’s dipping free kick in the 24th minute in a physical game in Durban was enough to see Shandu claim his first, while it was the fourth MTN8 trophy for Pirates – more than any other side.
Shandu, the Maritzburg United graduate, reached two finals with the Team of Choice, losing the Nedbank Cup in the 2017/18 season to Free State Stars in Cape Town.
He also lost the Telkom Knockout to Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2019/20 season at the 2010 World Cup finals venue in Durban.
He was also on the losing side as Pirates went down in the CAF Confederation Cup to RSB Berkane of Morocco on penalties last season.
“It’s been long overdue,” reacted Shandu, who came on just before the second half started for Thabiso Manyane.
“I’m happy to finally get the gold medal and it was long overdue.”
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The 27-year-old says it was not all difficult to switch on as he came from the bench as other players were cramping and others getting serious injuries.
“That is our job,” said Shandu.
“Always. When the first whistle is blown, you need to switch on and that is also from the warm ups.
“As soon as you get on the bus, you switch on because you never know what might happen. I think it is our job to always switch on and be ready to come on.”
While Shandu won his first trophy at the fourth attempt, it was not the same for Lehlohonolo Majoro of AmaZulu. This was Major’s fourth MTN8 final in his career, but he lost all of them.
He lost it with Kaizer Chiefs in the 2011/12 season, going down to Pirates. As he moved to Pirates from Chiefs, he lost it in the 2014/15 season with the Bucs who went down to his former club Amakhosi in Durban.
Another MTN8 final for Majoro was with Cape Town City in the 2017/18 season against SuperSport United, but again he lost it at the Durban venue.
