10-men Bucs secure victory

Orlando Pirates edged Black Leopards 2-1 in Tuesday night's Absa Premiership game at Peter Mokaba Stadium that had it all – the good, the bad and, in the case of Thamsanqa Gabuza's behaviour, the weird.

Bucs took a 2-0 lead through Thivhavhudzi Ndou's 34thminute own goal and Vincent Pule's strike in the 66th. Joseph Mhlongo pulled one back in the 70th.

Bizarrely, Pirates played with 10 men from their opening goal in the 34th, though they were only officially reduced by a player in the 51st.

The culprit was striker Gabuza, and the reviews of his actions that led to his double booking and red card from referee Thando Ndzandzeka will be much scrutinised in the postmatch media analysis.

After missing a string of chances and having his own supporters on his back, Gabuza produced the cross that led to Ndou's own goal.

The big centre-forward then stormed off the field, and when he returned 17 playing minutes later seemingly feigning injury he was shown double yellow by Ndzandzeka.

Gabuza had a torrid first half. The much-maligned striker whose bustling contribution is so often overshadowed by a lack of a final product in goals, seemed to come out with a point to prove.

He ran and jostled himself into scoring positions though, again, lacking a finish.

Then his night got weird. From another fine movement by Pirates, Gabuza was in space down the left, putting in a low cross that Ndou sliced past Muleka into his own net.

Gabuza had a rush of blood, charging next to his own dugout, ripping his shirt off and throwing it in frustration at his

Orlando Pirates played one-man down from as early as the 34th minute

own fans.

He was angrily pushed back by his coach, Milutin Sredojevic. But the striker just kept walking, into the tunnel and then the change rooms.

Bucs played the last 11 minutes of the half with 10 men.

In what seemed a ruse to try to prevent action against Gabuza, six minutes after the restart the striker came limping out heavily strapped.

Ndzandzeka was having none of it. His first delayed yellow seemed to be for the shirt incident, and second for the storm-off and unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Bucs initially did not let the strangeness of it all disrupt their focus. The from Mwape Musonda's angled pass, substitute Mhlongo saw a first shot from the edge of the area blocked, then connected a fine dipping volley to the the looping rebound, pulling one back for Leopards.