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The supporters came in their numbers and all they wanted to see was action and goals, and they got what they wanted.
First, it was a wonderful strike by defender Erick Mathoho, who was at the right place at the right time and pounced on a loose ball that had ricocheted off the crossbar.
It was a good farewell party for Mathoho, who, together with his goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, are off to the Rio Olympic Games today to join the national Under-23 team.
New striker Lewis Macha hammered the final nail in the Buccaneers’ coffin with a last-minute header to put the game beyond Pirates.
The new Carling Black Label Cup champions will now have renewed confidence going into the season. This was a sweet victory for Amakhosi, who lost with the same scoreline in the Nedbank Cup at the same venue earlier this year.
Chiefs have now won two Carling Black Label trophies, with Pirates on four since inception.
After dominating for the better part of the opening half, it was disappointing that Chiefs went to the break with the scoreboard still void of action.
Chiefs failed to convert the few chances they got, with Hendrick Ekstein fluffing his best chance.
It was not an entertaining first half, but the players could be forgiven for some rustiness after a long break. After all, it was a friendly game with nothing but pride at stake.
It was not a happy return for birthday boy Oupa Manyisa, who has been out of action since September with an ankle injury. The Pirates captain, who was celebrating his 28th birthday, did not have an outstanding game by his standards.
But he will be happy that he has recovered from the injury that kept him out for six months.
It is always difficult to judge a team based on one performance. But Chiefs coach Steve Komphela should be happy with what he saw from his side.
It was not always pretty, but he can build on this performance to stake a claim on the league title. Chiefs looked sharper than their opponents.
As for Pirates, new mentor Muhsin Ertugral has a lot to do as he tries to implement his philosophy – he would not have expected his charges to master his tactics in his first game.
Still, he cannot have been happy with what he saw. And his body language said it all as he kept yelling at his players to push forward.
With the start of the season four weeks away, Ertugral has time to work with his players and to show them what he really expects and wants from them.
New recruits Bernard Morrison and Riyaad Norodien showed flashes of brilliance when they came on late in the game, and they should fancy their chances in the team.
