Staff Reporter.
Orlando Pirates claimed Soweto derby bragging rights with a 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership match at Orlando Stadium.
Goals from Thembinkosi Lorch and Siphesihle Ndlovu led the Buccaneers to all three points and up to fourth on the league standings, five points off top spot. Daniel Cardoso scored what proved to be a late consolation for Chiefs who remain eighth.
Chiefs were the better team in the early exchanges and conjured the first shot in anger through Kearyn Baccus who pushed a rasping effort inches wide of goal, after having found a pocket of space on the edge of the area in the 14th minute.
Amakhosi should’ve opened the scoring five minutes later. A timely interception from Ntsikelelo Nyauza seemed to have cleared the danger but Richard Ofori spilled the ball allowing Lebogang Manyama a shot at goal. The Ghana international saved Manyama’s initial effort before the Chiefs attacker poked the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy.
The visitors continued to knock on Ofori’s door and Samir Nurkovic went close moments later, but Chiefs were ultimately left to rue their missed chances as Pirates hit the front in the 38th minute.
A miss-timed header from Reeve Frosler fell into the path of Lorch who rounded the on-rushing Daniel Akpeyi before passing the ball into an empty net for his fifth Soweto derby goal, to give Pirates a narrow lead the break.
Chiefs were handed a chance to level matters in the 53rd minute following a foul on Happy Mashiane by Ben Motshwari inside the penalty area. Samir Nurkovic stepped up to the spot but Ofori denied the Chiefs captain before Siyabonga Ngezana fired the rebound into the side-netting when it looked easier to score.
Pirates continued to ride their luck and punished the Amakhosi in the 80th minute as Ndlovu doubled their lead. Paseka Mako burst into the penalty area before finding the midfielder who powered the ball home from close range.
Chiefs halved the deficit five minutes later as Cardoso headed home Willard Katsande’s pin-point cross to set up a nervy finish but Pirates held on for a third straight win in this fixture, having beaten their fierce rivals 5-0 on aggregate on their way to MTN8 glory earlier this season.
Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt says his side had more than enough chances to beat Orlando Pirates ‘comfortably’.
“Ja, we played well, we should have won the game quite comfortably, what more do you want me to say? That’s it. I thought we did well,” Hunt said after the match.
“The chances they cleared off the line, I don’t know how many they cleared off the line, so we did well you know. That’s it. I can’t fault the players.
“That’s pretty basic in football [to take chances] but you also have to defend better. I thought the second goal was poor from our side, there’s only one winner here, we should have won the game,” he said.
“But you’re chasing the game, the second goal goes in and it looks bad but we had chances to even make it 2-2, so ja disappointing.
Meanwhile AmaZulu FC secured a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Stellenbosch FC in a DStv Premiership match at the Jonsson Kings Park Stadium on Friday evening.
The win saw Usuthu climb up to seventh place on the league standings – leapfrogging Kaizer Chiefs, while Stellies remained 10th on the log.