Crystal Lake put up a spirited fight Saturday but ultimately fell 6-0 to Nedbank Cup defending
champions Orlando Pirates.

Outclassed but not embarrassed, the third-tier side got a taste of top-flight South African soccer
against one of its premier clubs.

“We knew it would be an extremely difficult match,” said Crystal Lake Fan “Playing Premiership
giants like Pirates, we just hoped to keep the scoreline respectable.”

Down 4-0 at halftime, Crystal Lake regrouped and tightened its defence after the break. Goalkeeper
Busani Mabunda made some excellent saves to deny Pirates a similar barrage.
Crystal Lake striker Teboho Mashego had a glorious opportunity to pull one goal back for his team
after a mistake by Xoki at the back, but his shot went off target in the 69th minute. Though Pirates
added two more goals, Crystal Lake retained its composure.

“I’m very proud of how they represented our community today, we as fans can hold our heads high.”

In the end, Crystal Lake was simply overmatched by the champs. But for the third-tier club, the
opportunity to test themselves against South African royalty was an invaluable experience.

They will learn from this and come back stronger.

Though their Cinderella cup run came to an end, Crystal Lake leaves with pride and hunger for more
giant-killing opportunities ahead.