In a fiercely contested quarter-final, the Buccaneers had to show patience and resilience to overcome a stubborn Babina Noko outfit, with a first-half strike ultimately proving decisive.

Pirates enjoyed the better share of possession during the opening 15 minutes, dictating the tempo while Sekhukhune adopted a more cautious approach, looking to absorb the early pressure and frustrate their hosts.

Mpho Padime after scoring the winner - PSL

The Soweto giants looked comfortable on the ball and regularly found joy down the left flank, where Mpho Padime and Tshepang Moremi used their pace and attacking intent to stretch the Sekhukhune defence.

Their persistence paid off shortly after the half-hour mark when Pirates caught their opponents napping from a quickly taken free-kick just outside the penalty area.

The Buccaneers moved the ball swiftly into the box, catching the Babina Noko defence off guard. A moment of confusion at the back allowed Padime to pounce, with the attacker getting a crucial touch to guide the ball past the goalkeeper from close range.

Sekhukhune attempted to find a response before the break, with Chibuike Ohizu rising highest to meet a lofted delivery into the penalty area. However, his header failed to trouble the Pirates defence as the visitors went into half-time trailing by a goal.

The pattern remained largely unchanged after the restart, with Pirates continuing to enjoy the lion's share of possession while Sekhukhune struggled to turn their limited opportunities into meaningful attacking threats.

As the match progressed, the tempo dropped, but the introduction of Oswin Appollis injected fresh energy into the Pirates attack. The home side began to look more dangerous going forward and created a few promising opportunities to put the result beyond doubt.

They came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage in the 80th minute following an excellent attacking move involving Deon Hotto, Appollis and Moremi.

Hotto delivered a dangerous ball across the face of goal, leaving Moremi with an inviting opportunity and seemingly the entire goal at his mercy. However, the winger could not keep his effort down, sending the ball sailing over the crossbar.

Sekhukhune refused to throw in the towel and threatened a late comeback. With approximately five minutes remaining, Tsepho Mokoane forced a sharp reaction save from Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine as Babina Noko finally found some attacking momentum.

With the rain coming down at the Orlando Arena, Pirates were forced to dig deep during the closing stages, repelling a series of late attacks from the visitors.

The Buccaneers ultimately held their nerve to secure a valuable victory and seal their place in the last four, keeping their hopes of lifting the Carling Knockout Cup firmly alive.

On Sunday at 18:00, Kazier Chiefs will face Bloemfontein-based Siwelele FC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, while at the Danie Craven Stadium in Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch FC will face AmaZulu.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport