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Orlando Pirates Reserves made a winning return to DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) action when they defeated AmaZulu 3-0 at Mpumalanga Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was the perfect start to the new year for the Bucs Reserves who clinched a third successive win with as many clean sheets in the three wins to remain top of the DDC table. They extended their lead at the summit to a handy four points with one more game week still to come before the campaign reaches its halfway mark.
Quick to advance to the attacking end of the pitch from the first whistle, the young Buccaneers had a lively start to the encounter helped along by a nervy defensive effort from the hosts. They had their first shot at goal just two minutes after the first whistle through Simphiwe Masilela who latched on to a loose ball outside the box before firing wide.
Usuthu had a couple of bright moments of their own inside the opening 10 minutes as Thandanani Mhlongo broke away on the left before firing wide, while Bucs goalkeeper Bayanda Zulu was forced to dive low to his left to keep out a shot from Sbongakonke Majiya.
It took only 16 minutes for Pirates to break the deadlock, and they did so through Thuto Sesipi who was positioned perfectly to collect the rebound from a Joy Manana shot before turning the ball past goalkeeper Lindani Nene for the opener.
Manana could have added his own name to the scoresheet just three minutes later when he got on the end of a quick counter. The striker was denied by the woodwork as he unleashed a powerful right-footed shot that crashed against the crossbar. He had another opportunity at the half-hour mark when he ran into a cross from Jabulani Mokone, but only managed to turn it wide of the target.
The Bucs Reserves remained on the ascendancy and pressure told on the home side when Masilela was brought down inside the penalty area, with the referee promptly pointing to the spot. Manana stepped forward to take the spot kick, but could not find a way past Nene who dived low to his right to keep his shot out.
That turned out to be the last big moment of the first period with Pirates maintaining their slim lead as the two sides headed back to the tunnel.
Just as they did for much of the first half, the visitors continued to create chances without altering the scorecard. Lyle Chatburn had the first opportunity after the restart and was denied by Nene just before Seth Green went wide with an angled shot from the right flank.
Their persistence paid off after the hour mark through a firmly struck free kick taken by replacement forward Aphelele Nzimande, whose shot beat Nene’s despairing dive for his team’s second.
Manana looked to provide the third late on when he found himself in acres of space on the right flank, only for his shot to float across the face of goal. His fortunes turned around with just a minute of regulation time remaining when he collected the ball just outside the penalty area before turning it past the keeper to put the result beyond doubt.
They could have made it four in injury time with midfielder Sibusiso Tau releasing a powerful shot from a fair distance out and drawing a save from Nene.
Three goals were all that was possible in the end as the Pirates Reserves delivered a commanding performance to kick off the new year, notching up their 11th win of the season to maintain their spot at the top of the league table.
Pirates Reserves XI: Zulu, Mphekgoane, Derbyshire, Mokone, Mhlambi, Mohlala, Masilela (Tau 76’), Green (Zikalala 69’), Sesipi (Padime 76’), Chatburn (Nzimande 55’), Manana.
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.