Bucs walk the plank
Bloemfontein’s Rikhotso scores winner 5 minutes into injury time
YOU could see why Orlando Pirates continue to drop points against lower-table teams in their 2-1 Premier League defeat against Bloemfontein Celtic at the Orlando Stadium last night.
Oupa Manyisa’s soft 12th finish into an open goal after a Celtic defensive blunder was cancelled out by Lantshene Phalane’s 80th-minute equaliser from Bucs goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane’s even more farcical mistake.
Celtic had been industrious and tenacious against an increasingly wayward Pirates in the second half, and plucked a second goal and a winner by Tshepo Rikhotso five minutes into injury time.
Really, though, with all their talent available to them, if eighth-placed Pirates continue to play this sort of haphazard football, which lacks cohesive direction, they will continue to bleed points against sides they should be far more convincing against.
This was Pirates’ fifth match without a win. After a 1-0 defeat at Orlando against a well-drilled, quality combination in SuperSport United, Bucs’ last four results say much.
They followed draws against Baroka FC and Highlands Park with a 2-1 defeat away against Maritzburg United.
Last night’s defeat was just their second in the league this season, but worryingly for Bucs, they have had just two league victories at Orlando Stadium.
Muhsin Ertugral’s military regime from the start of the season may have resulted in something of a self-implosion, but successor Augusto Palacios’s lack of a clear plan, other than for players to express themselves, is turning out to be equally unconvincing.
Pirates shaded the opening 45 minutes, but only just, and took a 1-0 lead to the break.
The Buccaneers were gifted that opening goal by a miscommunication at the back from Celtic.
Goalkeeper Patrick Tignyemb and centreback Wandisile Letlabika hovered indecisively over a ball on the edge of their area, before Letlabika appeared to panic and lifted the ball over his keeper, allowing Manyisa to run round, collect and finish into an open goal.
For Celtic, former Buccaneer Khethowakhe Masuku’s free-kick was excellently shaped to allow Rikhotso to run in for a free header over the bar.
Bucs replied with a well-drilled training ground movement. Patrick Phungwayo crossed for Tendai Ndoro to head down, but Tignyemb saved with his legs onto the crossbar.
In the second half, the Bucs did not manage to push home their one-goal advantage.
With Bucs ineffective, it was Celtic who opened the home team halfway through the second half.
An equaliser seemed on the cards. If Pirates’ opener had come from a soft mix-up, Celtic’s was farcical.
Midfielder Phalane punted forward from midfield with a hit-and-hope long pass that was allowed to bounce by Pirates’ defence.
Mabokgwane raise his arms to indicate he was allowing the ball past, over his head, to go out.
It was a spectacular misjudgement as Bucs’ keeper had to turn and watch it continue bouncing straight into his own net.
In injury time, Rikhotso beat a defender in the area to a low cross and banged in a winner for Celtic.