Pirates ends winless run as they beat Arrows

At the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Tuesday night, Monnapule Saleng scored twice in the first half to give Orlando Pirates a 2-0 victory over Lamontville Golden Arrows. This put an end their three-match winless streak in the DStv Premiership.

Saleng gave his team a huge boost ahead of their second-leg MTN8 semifinal match against Mamelodi Sundowns in Polokwane on Saturday. The Buccaneers entered this match under a great deal of pressure after scoring just one goal and earning two points in their previous three games.

To advance to the final, which will be contested on November 5 in Durban, the Buccaneers must win the game on Saturday and avoid a tie. Goalless play concluded the first leg, which was held in Orlando.

Saleng’s first goal as a Pirates player was assisted by his front-line colleague Kermit Erasmus, who first passed to him in the sixth minute after receiving a lovely pass from Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo.

The majority of Bucs’ second goal came from Nkosingiphile Gumede of the Arrows failing to save Saleng’s soft shot after he once more received a ball from Erasmus inside the box.

In the 24th minute, despite having the opportunity to score himself, defender Olisa Ndah sent Erasmus a long ball, and the former Sundowns player was once more kind enough to allow man of the match Saleng a chance to complete his hat trick.

With Ndlondlo, Kabelo Dlamini, and Deon Hotto lining up behind Saleng and Erasmus as creative midfielders, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro took a risk by only starting Miguel Timm as a defensive midfielder in this game.

As a result of Riveiro’s strategy, the Buccaneers generated up to 11 shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes, five of which were on goal, including the two that Saleng was able to bury.

Even in the first half, when they had two chances to score through Velemseni Ndwandwe and Nqobeko Dlamini, Arrows weren’t completely out of the game. However, Pirates goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane, who was filling in for the injured Richard Ofori, did a good job of stopping them.

Ndlondlo almost gave Pirates the lead in the second minute when, following a good combination with right-back Thabiso Monyane, he shot inside the area and it hit the upright.

At the beginning of the second quarter, Ndlondlo was unfortunate once more not to increase the Bucs’ lead. This time, Gumede parried the former Marumo Gallants player’s attempt to score over the crossbar.

Even though the Arrows played better in the second half, Mpontshane in the Pirates’ goal remained unconquered by their last passes.

As in their prior 11 league games entering this game, Pirates continued to sputter and failed to score in the second half. In the second period, Riveiro made five substitutions, but none of them resulted in more goals for the Pirates.

With the win Pirates moved to fourth spot on the log with 19 points, the same as Richards Bay FC and second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who have a better goal difference.

 

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