Day of high drama
● Orlando Pirates came from behind to beat Kaizer Chiefs in the 164th Soweto derby that turned out to be a thrill-a-minute affair, especially in the lively first half that produced all the goals in front of a well entertained crowd of over 85,000.
Chiefs had come hoping to arrest Pirates’ dominance in this fixture and took the lead in the 15th minute through Zimbabwean striker Khama Billiat.
Bucs, who reduced Bidvest Wits’ lead on top of the Absa Premiership table to one point, came to this derby unbeaten in their previous seven league matches against Amakhosi. The Buccaneers won two of those seven, including the last one in March that Milutin Sredojevic’s team won 3-1.
In opening the scoring, Billiat benefited from a fumble by Bucs goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane, who made a meal of a cross by Chiefs left back Godfrey Walusimbi, who with Billiat and defender Mario Booysen made their debut in this derby.
Pirates’ recovery in this game was remarkable even though not entirely clinical. It came after Zambian striker Justin Shonga had missed an opportunity to equalise when he failed to beat Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune from the penalty spot.
Delivered an incisive cross
Referee Eketsane Setloboko had given the Buccaneers a lifeline when he gave them what looked like a soft penalty in the 25th minute, punishing Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana for pulling down Shonga’s Zambian counterpart, Augustine Mulenga.
Justice was done when Khune dived low on the left to deny Shonga his second league goal of the season. The Bafana Bafana No 1 was, however, beaten hands down three minutes later when Pirates defender Innocent Maela rose high to connect with Shonga’s corner.
The game swung the way of Bucs and their efforts were rewarded in the 32nd minute when Mulenga and Shonga combined well on the left before the former delivered an incisive cross inside the area for Vincent Pule, another derby debutant, to tap in his fourth league goal of the season, drawing level with Billiat and SuperSport United’s Evans Rusike on the Premiership top scorers sheet.
Lots of mind games were played even before kick-off with Chiefs withholding Colombian striker Leonardo Castro from joining his teammates on the walkabout on the pitch before the proper warm-up.
Castro, who had been out for weeks with an ankle injury, was actually one of the five changes made by Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas.
Respect with a moment of silence before kick-off was paid to the fallen South African hip hop artist Jabba, better known as Hip Hop Pantshula.
Castro’s return was eagerly awaited after Pirates assistant coach Rulani Mokwena had sparked a debate with his prediction of not only ruling him out from starting but adding that the former Mamelodi Sundowns striker was probably going to be chilling with his wife in his native country by the time the game kicked off here.
Castro failed to live up to expectations on the pitch, with his fitness still in question. He missed a sitter early in the second half when he shot tamely at Mpontshane.
Shonga’s bad day continued in the second half when he couldn’t find the target with a lob after Khune had parried an easy cross into his path. But it didn’t matter as Bucs celebrated another excellent victory.
Pirates overturn derby deficit despite missing a penalty