Buccaneers exorcise their demons in style
● Orlando Pirates appeared to allow the past to haunt them, letting SuperSport United back into the game, but then exorcised their demons with two late goals in last night’s 3-1 Absa Premiership humbling of SuperSport United.
Vincent Pule put Pirates ahead in the 15th minute at Orlando Stadium. Bongani Khumalo equalised in the 70th minute. Strikes from Thembinkosi Lorch (82nd minute) and Ben Motshwari (86th minute) banished Bucs’ bad spirits against SuperSport.
The shadow of SuperSport’s 6-1 humiliation of Pirates at Mbombela Stadium that ended Muhsin Ertugral’s tenure and destroyed their 2016-17 season appeared to continue to hang over Bucs.
Since then they had not beaten Matsatsansa — until last night.
SuperSport have changed little in structure under Kaitano Tembo.
They still have a midfield three of Dean Furman, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Teboho Mokoena, and the front three of Thuso Phala, Bradley Grobler and Evans Rusike — and are hard to break down and dangerous on the counter.
Given their recent history against them, Pirates had to work hard for a slender halftime lead. Bucs did enough through the hard work of their midfield of Motshwari, Xola Mlambo and Linda Mntambo, and the dangerous running of Pule and the destructive Zambian Augustine Mulenga, to grind out a single-goal lead by the break.
They opened the scoring when, from a good buildup, Mulenga was played down the left and crossed to find Pule free of his markers. He expertly nodded his second of the season past Ronwen Williams.
Pirates brought on right-back Diamond Thopola for forward Paseka Mako, aiming to close up shop at 1-0 in the 65th minute. Tembo responded by bringing on forward James Keene for midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
Maphosa Modiba produced a beautiful cross from the left to find the outstretched leg of Khumalo, who stabbed in a volleyed equaliser at the far post.
Lorch replaced Mntambo in the 76th minute. Mlambo teed up Lorch minutes later and he scored from the edge of the area.
Pirates got a third when Dean Furman gave the ball away for Mulenga to run down the right and square to Motshwari. His shot was saved but he chested in the rebound.