Zakhele Lepasa continued his fine start to the season after scoring in Orlando Pirates' 2-0 win over Cape Town City on Tuesday evening.
DStv Premiership
Result: Orlando Pirates 2-0 Cape Town City
Date: 29 August 2023
Venue: Orlando Stadium
Pirates made only one change from the side that was held to a draw by Chippa United, as Paseka Mako was recalled in place of Deon Hotto and Miguel Timm featured on the bench for the first time this season after he recovered from injury.
City, meanwhile, dropped Khanyisa Mayo to the bench, as Jo Paciencia was preferred instead as one of the four changes from the loss against Sekhukhune United, that also included Taariq Fielies, Thato Mokeke and Tshegofatso Nyama returning.
The Buccaneers had the perfect start after Lepasa gave them the lead within nine minutes with a curling shot into the top corner after a shrugged off a challenge on the edge of the box.
City invited pressure playing deep in their own half and they nearly paid for it just before the half-hour mark after Mako went down from a challenge in the box but the referee waved away appeals by Pirates for a penalty.
Jose Riveiro's charges continued to threaten going forward and Lepasa had a big chance eight minutes before the halftime break after a loose ball found him unmarked in the box but his close-range shot was crucially blocked by Keanu Cupido.
The Citizens lacked sense of urgency from the break and Eric Tinkler eventually reacted just before the hour-mark, as he made a triple attacking change with the introduction of Mayo, Juan Zapata and Jaedin Rhodes.
The Buccaneers were also not finding any sort of rhythm and just Riveiro also surprisingly substituted Monnapule Saleng and Relebohile Mofokeng, as he brought on Kabelo Dlamini for fresh legs and Hotto in a tactical switch.
The game came back to life after that and there was a bit of drame 14 minutes before time as Patrick Maswanganyi doubled the lead for Pirates with a shot at the back post that goalkeeper Darren Keet appeared to save on the goal-line but the goal was awarded from a call made by the assistant referee.
There were chances from both ends in the dying minutes but Pirates were able to see out the remaining stages to claim a clean sheet to go along with three points.
Here's how they lined up:
Orlando Pirates: 34. Chaine, 27. Xoki, 5. Sibisi, 26. Shandu, 29. Mako, 15. Ndlondlo, 8. Monare, 14. Saleng, 38. Mofokeng, 28. Maswanganyi, 9. Lepasa
Subs: 40. Mpontshane, 39. Mthethwa, 4. Timm, 23. Maela, 18. Dlamini, 32. Marou, 12. Otladisa, 7. Hotto, 2. Monyane
Cape Town City: 16. Keet, 2. Mkhize, 15. Cupido, 12. Fielies, 11. Nyama, 5. Ambina, 3. Mokeke, 27. Goedeman, 20. Gonzalez, 7. Kutumela, 29. Paciencia
Subs: 31. Mpandle, 23. Rhodes, 26. Gordinho, 26. Nodada, 10. Mayo, 13. Van Heerden, 6. Mokhuoane, 8. Sifumba, 17. Zapata
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