PIRATES ON SUMMIT
SHONGA: STRIKER FINALLY FINDS HIS SCORING BOOTS
City managed to pull one back in 90th minute through Nkili.
Top of the Absa Premiership: that’s where Orlando Pirates find themselves after their 2-1 win over Polokwane City at the Peter Mokaba Stadium last night.
For the first part of the match, it looked likely Bucs and City would go on to record their seventh draw since 2014, looking at how the two sides fared in their last six games.
But Marcelo da Silva and Justin Shonga made it a point that the Buccaneers walked away with maximum points on the night as both goals came in the second half.
The victory saw Pirates go on top of the table with 22 points after 12 games, two ahead of sec- ond placed Bidvest Wits, who are on 20 points but have played two games less.
The Limpopo outfit, meanwhile, remain on fourth position with 17 points after 10 games.
Early on in the game, Rodney Ramagalela almost grabbed the lead for City with a shot from outside the box, but Pirates goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane was well positioned to make a save.
There was another opportunity for the home side, but winger Vusimuzi Mngomezulu failed to capitalise.
As the game went on, the two teams sort of lost their rhythm when going on attack, with the defence from both sides seemingly looking very tight.
City’s dangerman Ramagalela was close on goal just after the hour mark, but his header wasn’t powerful enough to trouble Mabokgwane.
Zambian international striker Justin Shonga found himself with a chance to put Pirates on the lead in the 34th minute, but his shot failed to find the target.
With the half-time break looming, both tried to get a goal, but it wasn’t to be as they finished the first half goalless.
It seemed like part-two of a movie in the second stanza, with’ goal attempts by both sides not really convincing.
It took a set-piece for the visitors to get a goal after Brazilian Marcelo benefited from a failed clearance by City to put Pirates on the lead just before the hour mark.
The Buccaneers gained momentum and they were rewarded with the second goal through Shonga from a free-kick just four minutes later.
The goal should be a huge morale booster for the striker, who has missed plenty of chances for Bucs on their previous games, but has managed to be sharp on goal for his national team.
Polokwane City managed to pull one goal back through Ayanda Nkili in the 90th minute, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Soweto giants from claiming their 10game unbeaten run.