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Another clinical display from Orlando Pirates saw them continue their remarkable scoring run with another emphatic Betway Premiership victory when they defeated Lamontville Golden Arrows 5-0 at Orlando Amstel Arena on Tuesday.
The Buccaneers marked their return to their homebase in style as they made it two wins in as many league matches to keep hopes of league honours alive. The emphatic scoreline on the night also took their goal tally to a remarkable 11 in their two most recent fixtures, while the gap at the top of the standings remained tight at just two points with seven matches left for the Soweto Giants to play.
Resuming competitive action after nearly three weeks since their last outing, the home side showed no signs of rustiness as they pinned the opposition back from the first minute. Only millimetres kept them from taking the lead mere seconds after the first whistle as Relebohile Mofokeng rattled the crossbar with an effort from outside the box.
That turned out to be a signal of what was to come with the Buccaneers maintaining their intensity with captain Nkosinathi Sibisi denied by goalkeeper Edward Maova moments before Oswin Appollis and Kamogelo Sebelebele both sent their attempts wide.
Starved of chances early on, Arrows had a rare foray into Bucs territory in the 14th minute and were not very far off from a goal against the run of play when Angelo van Rooi leapt to meet an inviting cross from the right flank, only to direct his header wide.
It’s a chance they would regret not converting as just two minutes later, Pirates took the lead with a stunner from Relebohile Mofokeng who worked himself into space outside the penalty area before launching a shot into the top corner.
The opener whetted the hosts’ appetite for more goals as they continued to probe. The wait for their second only lasted until the half-hour mark when Appollis added his name to the scoresheet with a stunner of his own as he charged towards the penalty area before firing past Maova to make it 2-0.
The relentless pressure from the home side told in the 36th minute when midfielder Masindi Nemtajela popped up on the right flank before delivering a cross which was deflected into the net by Arrows attacker Ayabulela Maxwele for Pirates’ third.
Striker Yanela Mbuthuma could have added to the visitors’ misery three minutes from the break, but his header from close range was cleared from the goal line.
The Soweto Giants took a handsome lead into the break nonetheless, and set about continuing where they left off in the first half when they emerged from the tunnel. They camped deep inside the KwaZulul-Natal outfit’s half, but were not able to immediately find the finishing touch.
This changed on the hour mark when, fresh off a hat-trick, Mofokeng sparked another moment of magic to complete his brace as he turned possession over a few yards away from the Arrows box before setting off on a solo run capped off by a clever finish past Maova.
Abafana Bes’thende looked to pull one back late on in the contest, but met an alert Bucs defence with Sibisi pulling off an excellent stop moments before Sipho Chaine’s superb reflex save, which kept out what looked like a goalbound shot from Isaac Cisse. The Bucs shot-stopper had an easier time dealing with the visitors’ subsequent attempts at goal as he kept out relatively tame attempts from the likes of Siphesihle Msomi and Nhlanhla Gasa.
The real threat remained at the other end, where the Buccaneers continued to press for more goals. They were rewarded late in injury time when Deano van Rooyen struck the upright from range with Appollis following up to turn the rebound in for his second of the night.
That capped another fine outing for Pirates, who crossed the five goal mark for the second time in the league this season.
Pirates XI: Chaine, Seema, Sibisi, Sebelebele (Van Rooyen 77’), Hotto (Ndaba 66’), Nemtajela, Mbatha (Mbule 66’), Mofokeng, Appollis, Moremi (Maswanganyi 66’), Mbuthuma (De Jong 77’).
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.