Ndoro special lifts Buccaneers to comfortable spot

at Orlando Stadium ORLANDO Pirates moved into the top six in the Absa Premiership with a 1-0 victory over Free State Stars last night, putting on a slick first half showing but then fading in the second half.

Tendai Ndoro scored after just nine minutes to claim the three points which moves the Buccaneers above Chippa United. But a breathtaking first half display was followed by a pedestrian second half showing that almost cost the home side their haul of points.

Stars came back strongly near the end as Pirates lost control of the midfield, and had the team from Bethlehem been sharper it might well have gone home with a share of the spoils.

“We have to be honest that Stars were much better than us in the second half,” admitted Pirates coach Eric Tinkler.

But they had laid a platform with the early goal. Ndoro can do little wrong at the moment after finally forging a first-team place and it was his pace that allowed him to break free of an attempted tackle from Stars skipper Paulus Masehe and slam home his seventh goal in recent weeks.

The goal came from a ball from deep defence from Edwin Gyimah that was cleverly back-heeled towards Ndoro by Thabo Qalinge, playing on the right wing in place of suspended Thabo Rakhale.

Two minutes later Ndoro was denied a second by the crossbar, as he fired at goal with his left foot, this time after a quick counterattack set up in the midfield by Lehlohonolo Masalesa.

Soon after, Johnny Mathole was forced into a reflex save to deny Bucs again as Qalinge missed a header and the ball fell unexpectedly on the knee of Stars fullback Bokang Tlhone, who watched in horror as it hurtled towards his own goal only for Mathole to turn it over the top with a smart stop.

Brighton Mhlongo made a similar stop in the 20th minute to deny Stars’ first real chance for Moeketsi Sekola from a free kick.