Pirates back to winning ways
MOVING: BUCS MAKE EASY WORK OF BLACK LEOPARDS
Orlando Pirates bounced back to winning ways, taking down Black Leopards 3-0 in the DStv Premiership at Orlando Stadium yesterday.
This was a good response for the Buccaneers, who came into this game after losing 3-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns and playing to a 1-1 draw with Swallows FC in their last two games. The victory saw the Soweto giants jump to fourth place in the table, with 42 points after 25 matches.
Leopards, meanwhile, are stuck at the bottom of the league standings with 18 points from 26 matches. The club is seven points away from safety and with only four games left, they may well have to collect maximum points in all of them to have a chance at saving their top flight status.
In the opening stages of the game, Pirates looked stronger on the right side of their attack, with Wayde Jooste coming up from the back and linking up with Deon Hotto.
It took the hosts 28 minutes to truly threaten Leopards’ goal, after Jooste’s cross found Tshegofatso Mabasa inside the Leopards box, but the striker failed to convert.
The visitors tried to get themselves into the game as skipper Rodney Ramagalela attempted a long range strike in the 32nd minute, but it didn’t trouble Wayne Sandilands in the Pirates goal.
The Buccaneers came closer and closer to scoring towards half time, with chances falling for Mabasa once again, and for Thulani Hlatshwayo, whose header went wide, but the two teams went into the break goalless.
It took only two minutes into the second half for the home side to take the lead, after Jooste picked out Mabasa inside the Lidoda Duvha box. The striker didn’t make a mistake this time around as he slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Leopards looked for an immediate response and Rodrick Kabwe looked destined to score, but his effort was cleared off the line by Hlatshwayo.
Pirates went on to extend their lead with Mabasa getting his brace in the 67th minute after his initial header hit the upright, before he quickly slotted the ball into the net from the rebound.
With four minutes left, substitute Gabadinho Mhango sealed the win with the third goal for Pirates.