Orlando Pirates climbed to third spot on the DStv Premiership table after defeating Golden Arrows 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.
DStv Premiership
Result: Golden Arrows 1-2 Orlando Pirates
Date: 17 December 2023
Venue: Mpumalanga Stadium
Pirates brought in Karim Kimvuidi, Katlego Otladisa and Nkosinathi Sibisi, as three changes from their narrow win over TS Galaxy while Thembinkosi Lorch started from the bench after his suspension ended in midweek.
The Buccaneers dictated terms from the first whistle and had a chance to go ahead in the first six minutes from a free-kick on the edge of the box but Deon Hotto's effort was smothered by goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana.
Jose Riveiro's charges were patient on the ball in a sweltering heat and after the water break, they were awarded a penalty on the half-hour mark after Kimvuidi was brought down in the box. Patrick Maswanganyi stepped up and broke the deadlock for the Soweto giants with a powerful strike beyond the dive of Mlungwana.
Arrows came to life after that, as they pressurised Pirates and Nduduzo Sibiya eventually levelled matters on the stroke of halftime with a well taken penalty after Sibisi kicked Ryan Moon in the box.
The visitors had a quick start in the second stanza as Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo had a big chance three minutes in after a cut-back by Evidence Makgopa but he missed an open net, with Mlungwana out of his area.
However, Kimvuidi made up for Ndlondlo's miss shortly before the hour-mark with a looping shot into the roof of the net from a rebound in the box after a wave of attack.
Pirates controlled the game after that but required fresh legs with 20 minutes to go, as Lorch and Zakhele Lepasa replaced both Maswanganyi and Makgopa.
The Buccaneers absorbed the pressure in the closing stages and went forward on counter-attacks and Lepasa almost made it 3-1 in stoppage time with a curling free-kick that came off the upright and Lorch scored from the rebound but his goal was disallowed for offside.
Nevertheless, Pirates had done enough to bag all the three points as they moved up to third on the log.
Here's how they lined up:
Golden Arrows: 36. Mlungwana, 39. Cross, 35. Mantshiyane, 5. Shitolo, 6. Tlolane, 42. Theron, 14. Van Rooi, 9. Moon, 12. Ndwandwe, 11. Sibiya, 41. Zwane
Subs: 1. Watenga, 15. Zuke, 24. Dlamini, 25. Motloung, 37.Ndlovu, 23. Dube, 31. Ncube, 18. Mutizwa, 40. Nguse
Orlando Pirates: 35. Buthelezi, 5. Sibisi, 49. Ndah, 11. Hotto, 4. Timm, 15. Ndlondlo, 28. Maswanganyi, 12. Otladisa, 25. Kimvuidi, 11. Makaringe, 17. Makgopa
Subs:31. Ofori, 27. Xoki, 30. Baloni, 8. Monare, 18. Dlamini, 14. Saleng, 3. Lorch, 38. Mofokeng, 9. Lepasa
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