Old Buc add to Pirates’ misery
Erasmus’s lone strike hands Citizens victory
Kermit Erasmus’s solitary goal handed 10-man Cape Town City a slender victory over Orlando Pirates at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.
The defeat stretched Pirates’ winless run to six games, having last tasted an Absa Premiership win by beating Black Leopards via a lonely own goal back in February.
City were reduced to 10 men when Mpho Makola was redcarded in the 33rd minute.
For the first time since the arrival of German coach Josef Zinnbauer last December, Pirates top-scorer Gabadinho Mhango (with 14 goals) started on the bench, with Tshegofatso Mabasa spearheading the attack.
It must be Mabasa’s goal, his seventh in the league so far, in the previous match, a 1-1 stalemate versus Baroka last Tuesday, that earned him a start.
Nkanyiso Zungu started his maiden game in Bucs colours since joining from Stellenbosch in January.
Zungu’s inclusion in the XI meant Fortune Makaringe started on the bench.
The opening 10 minutes of the match was a scrappy affair. Pirates looked content to sit back and absorb pressure.
The first real chance of the game fell to Erasmus, but his deflected attempt was cleared off the line by Happy Jele a few minutes before the 20-minute mark.
The opening exchanges also proved a physical contest. City’s Makola and Thabiso Monyane of Pirates were booked for nasty challenges earlier on. Makola would be sent off later in the first half for an unnecessary foul on Thembinkosi Lorch.
Ntsikelelo Nyauza had a blinder of a first half, where he won almost every against Erasmus.
Despite being a man down, City showed more grit than Pirates. The Cape side’s source of dominance was playing through wings, where fullback Thami Mkhize was instrumental in delivering good crosses.
City’s dominance in the last few minutes of the first half paid off in the stoppage time of the initial stanza, thanks to a well-taken header by Erasmus, benefiting from a brilliant cross from Mkhize.
Pirates returned from the break with Siphesihle Ndlovu and Kabelo Dlamini, replacing Monyane and Paseka Mako.
The two subs afforded the Sea Robbers fluidity, but City resorted to the ultra-defensive approach, with Erasmus the only player not defending.
Bucs threw everything at City towards the end of the match, but the Citizens goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh produced a number of saves to protect their lead. battle