Jamieson raid at Leopard

ORLANDO PIRATES 0 AFRICAN STARS0

JUSTIN Shonga and some of his Pirates teammates pulled their jerseys over their faces, such was their disbelief at the outcome of this Caf Champions League first round, first leg tie,

The Zambian fluffed opportunities he normally would convert with eyes closed.

Now, the dream to add a second star above the famous skull-and-crossbones badge has become that little harder as Pirates have to go to Windhoek next weekend and beat Stars.

On the strength of their play at Orlando Stadium last night, Pirates should prove too good for the Namibians, who soaked up the pressure and made feeble attempts to catch Pirates on the break.

In the second half when coach Milutin Sredojevic introduced Thembinkosi Lorch and Augustine Mulenga, it appeared the goal would come. Shonga and Vincent Pule had opportunities to find the net but this was not their night.

Pule had arguably the game’s best chance but his header 10 minutes from time was saved by goalkeeper Ratanda Mbazuvara.

As early as the third minute, Pirates were asking questions of their Namibians opponents, Linda Mntambo lobbing the ball over the defence for Shonga but Mbazuvara was alert to the danger and collected easily.

The goalkeeper was again called to action three minutes later to block Pule’s attempt following a good cross from the right by Abbubaker Mobara, who had a brilliant shot on 35 minutes go straight at the Stars number one.

As Pirates piled on the pressure, they threatened to open the scoring via some creative set pieces – corners and free kicks – but their shots mostly went wide of goal.

Dominance such as that which Pirates enjoyed in the initial stanza always comes with the danger of being caught on the break.

And there were a couple of times when the visitors threatened on the counter-attack with the best chance falling on the stroke of half-time. A failed offside trap saw Halleluya Nekunda free on goal but Buccaneers skipper Happy Jele got back in time to make a telling block as the striker pulled the trigger.

There was very little threat for Jele and his rearguard in the second half but while they peppered the Stars goals with attacks, the goal never came and as such it was the visitors who met the final whistle with delight as the Buccaneers hung their heads in shame.

It is now anyone’s tie with Stars confident they can make homeground advantage count and Pirates believing they can turn their dominance to goals. SCOTT Jamieson’s round of fourunder-par 68 could so easily have slipped off the rails yesterday, but he kept his head down the stretch at Leopard Creek after a double-bogey on 14 to take a one-stroke lead on 11-under-par 205 after the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

He made good on the slip-up on the 14th with a birdie on the par-five 15th and a rare one on the difficult par-three 16th. That kept him ahead of halfway leader, American David Lipsky, and three clear of the young South African duo of Zander Lombard and 2016 champion Brandon Stone.

“On 14, I hit a pretty good tee shot but it kind of fell into the bunker somehow,” said Jamieson. The Scot was unable to avoid the inevitable dropped shot the mistake exacted, but he soon got things going again. “I played well after that to make a couple of birdies, so I’m really pleased.”

Jamieson held up under searing heat, getting his round going early on with a birdie on the second. He slipped back with a dropped shot on the short par-four sixth, but regained that stroke with a birdie on nine.

Then he made up for the drop in fine fashion with an eagle two on the 11th, where the tee had been brought forward to tempt the players into going for the green.

Jamieson succumbed to the temptation with a splendid drive to the heart of the green and made the remaining 12-footer for eagle to pull clear of the field.

Lipsky had two bogeys and a double on his card, but kept himself in touch with the lead ahead of the final round with four birdies and an eagle.

“I thought I had some good opportunities coming in but a double on 16 really put me in reverse,” he said. | Sunshine Tour