Marcelo and Shonga send Bucs to top spot
Revamped side prove too strong for Polokwane In the driving seat
A somewhat makeshift Orlando Pirates produced a rousing second-half performance to beat Polokwane City 2-1 and move to the top of the Absa Premiership table at Peter Mokaba Stadium last night. With usual suspects such as Xola Mlambo and Vincent Pule only watching from the bench, defender Caio Marcelo and striker Justin Shonga ensured that the Soweto heavyweights elbow Bidvest Wits from the top spot on the standings as they prolonged their unbeaten run in the league to eight matches. Polokwane’s consolation goal was scored by Ayanda Nkili in the 90th minute. Bucs technical team handed the likes of Mpho Makola and Linda Mntambo rare starts while Mlambo and Pule rested ostensibly with an eye on Saturday’s epic Premiership match away to champions Mamelodi Sundowns. Keeper Jackson Mabokgwane also returned to the team after missing the last two matches, including the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs. Just two minutes into the match, Rodney Ramagalela came close to giving Polokwane the lead but his powerful strike from just outside the box was comfortably saved by Mabokgwane. Without a recognised central-defensive midfielder, Bucs struggled to win battles in the middle of the park, with Polokwane captain Jabulani Maluleke bossing the likes of Mntambo and Makola for the better part of the first stanza. The home side’s supremacy nearly yielded fruit on the half-hour mark when Ramagalela found himself unmarked in the box, only to fluff his header straight to Mabokgwane.
Four minutes after Ramagalela’s attempt, Pirates created their first real chance of the match when striker Shonga was teed-up by Thabo Qalinge, but the Zambian hitman’s rushed effort went off the target.
The breakthrough finally came from a free-kick which was headed back into the box and a George Chigova save only served to set up Brazilian Marcelo, who nodded home his first Pirates goal.
A second goal followed soon thereafter from Shonga on 66 minutes, the striker beating Chigova by curling a free-kick beyond the wall to end his recent poor run in front of goal. Pirates endured a tense finish after Polokwane pulled one back right on the stroke of full-time with Nkili’s headed effort correctly ruled to have crossed the line following a corner. “We introduced several players who added quality,” said Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic in a TV interview afterwards.
“This is huge positive for us because we hadn’t beaten this team since 2015.
“We have a balanced squad because we brought in five new players from our last match [against AmaZulu]. “I’m happy for Shonga because he scored but he had three assists in the previous games too,” Sredojevic said.
‘‘ We introduced several players who added quality