Staff Reporter.
Orlando Pirates leapfrogged SuperSport United into second spot after registering a 3-0 victory over Chippa United in the DStv Premiership.
Strikes from Deon Hotto and Ben Motshwari, as well as an own goal from Riaan Hanamub, saw the Buccaneers to a third win from their last four league outings, move up to second place on the log (one point behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns – having played four games more) and continue their dominance over the Chilli Boys, who have gone five without a win in the top flight and remain in 13th place.
Linda Mntambo, who has been playing as a makeshift striker for the Buccaneers in recent games, nearly broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark with a slick turn and shot inside the penalty area which clipped the outside of goalkeeper Ayanda Mtshali’s right-hand post.
Pirates took the lead in the 39th minute, with Hotto having an easy finish into an empty net from the left of the penalty area after Mtshali sprinted off his line to try and intercept a long ball, only to fluff his lines and hand the Namibian winger a major gift.
On the 44th minute it was 2-0, with Chippa defender Riaan Hanamub deflecting Fortune Makaringe’s pull-back into his own goal, and handing Pirates full control of the match.
Hanamub nearly made immediate amends with a brilliant free kick delivery which should have seen the deficit halved, but Sandile Mthethwa missed out on a glaring chance, leaving the visiting team two goals to the good at the break.
Chippa made a change at the start of the second half by introducing striker Augustine Kwem off the bench, but it was Pirates who threatened first, with Mntambo seeing his effort on goal turned away by a sharp save from Mtshali.
Instead Pirates added a third in the 89th minute, with Paseka Mako squaring for Ben Motshwari on the counter attack, and the midfielder capped a fine personal performance with a well-taken strike into the bottom corner.
United will return to DStv Premiership action on Wednesday, 10 March with a home match against AmaZulu, while Pirates’ next league clash is away to Kaizer Chiefs on 21 March.
Meanwhile Stellenbosch FC claimed a 2-1 win over Cape Town City in the DStv Premiership match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The victory took Stellies to 12th place on the league standings, while the Citizens remained seventh on the table.
Elsewhere Bloemfontein Celtic and Maritzburg United shared the spoils in their DStv Premiership match at Dr Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday evening, playing to a 1-1 draw thanks to goals from Thabiso Kutumela and Menzi Ndwandwe.
The result sees Phunya Sele Sele extend their winless run to four matches and remain in 11th place, while Maritzburg stay 15th but have opened up a one-point lead over bottom-of-the-log Black Leopards.
Maritzburg will return to DStv Premiership action on Wednesday, 10 March with a home match against Kaizer Chiefs, while Celtic’s next league clash is away to Baroka FC on 20 March.