Gamphani Lungu’s astonishing shot inside the area in the last minute of extra-time set Orlando Pirates well on their way to defend the MTN8 trophy once again - they have won it in the last four years - ousting a spirited 11-man Durban City 2-1 in the competition’s first of last 8 matches at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.Lungu had been thrown on as a late substitute and got the winner when it looked like the matter would be settled by penalty shoot-outs after 90 minutes ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Although there were hardly any early signs of the visitors posing any threat to Abdeslam Ouadou’s team, Pirates started this match sloppy and were very tentative in their attacks. But when the Buccaneers did find their gear there was no stopping them as midfielder Thalente Mbatha was the first to test City’s goalkeeper Fredrick Aasare, long range thunderbolt sailing just over the bar with Asare’s touch in the 20th minute. Pirates should have gone ahead eight minutes later but striker Yanela Mbuthuma was unlucky to see his tap in, missing the upright by a few inches after connecting with a good cross from Patrick Maswanganyi - the player who partnered him in attack. Maswanganyi was to eventually take the matter into his own hands after Pirates earned a penalty.City midfielder Brooklyn Poggenpoel was already on a yellow card when he hacked Tshepand Moremi inside the area after he realised his back pass was way too weak to reach his goalkeeper. Referee Alfred Chavani gave Poggenpoel his marching orders before Maswanganyi sent City’s gloveman the wrong way to give the home a deserved lead in the 37th minute. You would have expected one-man advantage to be a huge boost to Pirates to further dominate the proceedings but just six minutes into the restart they found themselves levelled with City after some shoddy defending at the back allowed Jean Lubumba to cancel Maswanganyi’s goal.The goal came after Pirates allowed City to enter the area through their left channel where former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Gaston Sirino combined with former Bucs right back Bandile Shandu before Sirino laid a good pass for Lubumba to tap in from inside the penalty area. With as many players still struggling with their match fitness in these early stages of the season changes were bound to be made.Former Chiefs co-head coach Khalil Ben Youseff, now calling shots at City, pulled off Sirino for Samkelo Maseko just after they scored.Bucs coach Ouaddou responded by strengthening his side with the introduction of Kabelo Kgositsile and Boitumelo Radiopan for Oswin Appollis and Mbuthuma just after the hour mark. The young Kgositsile, one of the players promoted by Pirates this season, was close to restoring the home side’s lead within a few minutes after entering the fray but his header off a Camren Dansin cross missed the upright before Asare kept out Moremi’s shot four minutes before the match went to extra-time. The added 30 minutes looked to be yielding no goals until Lungu’s last -gasp winner.This was despite Pirates bombarding Asare’s goals with as many attacks.City defended with as many numbers against a Pirates side which is still finding its feet, especially with new recruits like Lungu who may take time to fill in the big shoes of the departed stars that include PSL’s Player of the Season Relebohile Mofokeng, a key playmaker for Pirates in the last two seasons.