Baroka get valuable home point
Bucs pay for trying to protect slim lead
Hassan Banda’s 72nd minute goal broke the hearts of Orlando Pirates and helped Baroka to secure a 1-1 draw against the Buccaneers at Peter Mokaba Stadium last night.
After winning their season opener against Chippa United at the weekend, Pirates thought they had made it two wins in two matches after Thabo Qalinge had given them the lead late into the first stanza, but Bakgaga found their way back to force a draw.
The visitors enjoyed a good amount of ball possession in the opening stages.
However, it took 40 minutes for Qalinge to find the lead. He headed home a wonderful cross from Mpho Makola.
Baroka were then dealt a blow early into the first period when Matome Kgoetyane was forced off with an injury. His place was taken by Albert Mothupa.
The match went into the half-time break with the visitors leading 1-0.
Early in the second half, Baroka introduced their new signing Siphelele Ntshangase who proved a constant threat to the Pirates defence.
It was evident that the Sea Robbers were content with their one-goal lead. However, Baroka continued to apply pressure which paid off as Banda made it 1-1, heading in from a corner kick.
In action against his former employers, Rodney Ramagalela’s brace propelled Polokwane City to a 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns last night.
The industrious Ramagalela scored in either half – his second goal a wonderfully lobbed strike from long range – to secure the win for City over Sundowns, who found a consolation goal through a George Lebese penalty kick.
The marauding Ramagalela, who didn’t make much impact at Sundowns when he signed for them a few years ago before being loaned out and then released, had two early looks at the Sundowns goal but the defence was able to neutralise the danger.
At the other end, new Sundowns signing Thokozani Sekotlong misused two chances that should have handed Sundowns the opener.
Sundowns started the match with the Mamelodiborn duo of Sekotlong and Lebese who were signed in the transfer window.
Pitso Mosimane threw Sekotlong straight into the starting team after having played the likes of Percy Tau and Khama Billiat as their frontman.
Tau played more of a free role after being relieved of striking duties, with the club having signed a natural striker in Sekotlong.
City threatened to score once again through Ramagalela in the 31st minute but a last ditch steal from Motjeka Madisha averted danger.
Some scrappy defending from Bangaly Soumahoro and a poor clearance from Oupa Manyisa, led to Ramagalela opening the scoring as the ball fell to him inside the box.
In the early stages of the second half, it was City who nearly got another goal through Vusimuzi Mngomezulu.
Soumahoro and Madisha were caught out at the back as Mngomezulu forced Downs goalkeeper Denis Onyango into a save. City midfielder Jabu Maluleke was the lynchpin for the visitors as Sundowns struggled to penetrate the stubborn opposition defence.
City defender Thapelo Tshilo was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box and Lebese duly converted the spot kick in the 55th minute.
In the 69th minute, Ramagalela completed his brace after spinning to beat the Sundowns defence and lobbing the ball over a helpless Onyango.
Elsewhere, Moeketsi Sekola and Abel Mabaso scored for Chippa United as they beat AmaZulu 2-0 in Port Elizabeth.