. . . and just keep afloat in the Mother City
RIYAAD Norodien blasted home a superb late equaliser to secure a barely deserved 2-2 draw for Orlando Pirates as they held Absa Premiership title contenders Cape Town City in the Mother City last night.
The wonder-strike was enough to avoid defeat, but Pirates extended their winless run to nine matches in what is likely to be the last match for coach Augusto Palacios.
The Buccaneers had taken a first-half lead through new signing Dove Wome, his first for the club, before Austrian midfielder Roland Putsche grabbed a deserved equaliser.
Lebogang Manyama looked as though he had netted a winner for City when he scored five minutes from time, only for Norodien to find a moment of magic in injury-time. It denied City top-spot as they sit a point behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs with both sides having played 18 matches. Positives for Pirates? There were very few. Abbubaker Mobara was outstanding in the midfield. But perhaps the biggest plus for The Ghost is that this period of mediocrity under Palacios is now seemingly at an end with a new coach due to be unveiled tomorrow.
And it cannot come soon enough for the ailing giants. The same frailties from preceding matches were plain to see as they lacked shape at times, with City able to make merry in the yawning gaps between their defence and attack.
Palacios sprung a surprise as he dropped the Premiership’s leading scorer Tendai Ndoro to the bench, preferring instead to lead with Thamsanqa Gabuza.
Manyama forced a finger-tip save from Pirates keeper Brighton Mhlongo via a free-kick whipped in from a tight angle, but shortly afterwards the visitors were ahead as City failed to clear their lines and Luvuyo Memela’s run to the byline saw him cut the ball back for Wome to score.
It was a poor goal for City to concede, but a wonderful moment for the Togolese winger in just his second start since making the move from SuperSport United.
Lehlohonolo Majoro should have drawn his side level in the dying seconds of the first half as he latched onto Manyama’s scuffed shot and with just Mhlongo to beat, dinked the ball onto the post and Pirates cleared.
City continued to press in the second period and Mhlongo made a smart save at his near post to deny Sibusiso Masina after he turned a low cross from Manyama goalwards.
Pirates were by now relying on hitting City on the counter and they should have doubled their advantage when Gabuza easily outmuscled Tshepo Gumede to set Thembinkosi Lorch free on goal, but the young forward skewed his shot wide. And they were made to pay as the home side drew level on the hour-mark.
Substitute Judas Moseamedi headed down for Putsche to blast the ball into the back of the net. It was a goal to knock the stuffing out of Pirates players and shoulders visibly drooped.
Manyama then danced his way into the box in search of the winner and blasted into the roof of the net to stun the sizeable Buccaneer support in the stands, though they had the final cheer thanks to Norodien’s stunner.