Pirates show fight, but there’s work to do

Orlando Pirates (0)1 Lorch 76 SuperSport United (0)1 Mnyamane 55

JOHANNESBURG: The pessimist will look at the countless chances that Orlando Pirates missed. The optimist will look at the fact that for a third successive match in Kjell Jonevret’s tenure, the Buccaneers came back to steal a point. The realist will admit though that there is still a lot of work to be done to turn things around at the Buccaneers.

Pirates once again celebrated a draw like it was a win, showing how low they have reached.

The good thing about that is that the club can only go up from this. They are showing more fighting spirit under Jonevret, who expressed more emotions this time around than he did in the Soweto Derby.

At first the Buccaneers looked jittery, rushing when they should’ve taken their time in the box.

Matsatsantsa carried a heavy weight of expectation on their shoulders, not only chasing a record-equalling 19-match unbeaten run but also in search of a fourth straight win over the Buccaneers in all competitions. They only achieved matching Kaizer Chiefs’ record of going 19 matches without a loss.

The goalkeepers were hardly threatened because both these teams couldn’t string together four passes. That display wasn’t surprising because Pirates have laboured this season, without a win now in 12 matches while SuperSport tend to be deadlier in the

second half. The Tshwane side have scored 23 of their 31 goals in the second half, which has led to them being labelled slow starters.

Matsatsantsa lived up to that tag, waking up in the second half to take the lead through Thabo Mnyamane. That goal exposed Pirates’ defensive frailties.

They firstly failed to decisively deal with a set-piece and then gave Mnyamane too much room to control before unleashing a shot that ricocheted off the post and into the back of the net.

Pirates didn’t drop their heads after conceding that goal, working even harder to find the equaliser. Thamsanqa Gabuza and Thembinkosi Lorch came close to doing just that but weren’t composed enough to beat Reyaad Pieterse. But Lorch, who had his goal in the Soweto Derby credited to Itumeleng Khune, wasn’t to be denied again.

He finally opened his Pirates’ account with a crucial goal, snatching a point from a situation that looked dire.