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Orlando Pirates delivered a ruthless performance away to TS Galaxy, piling on the goals to walk off 6-0 victors in their Betway Premiership encounter at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The match produced the Buccaneers’ biggest winning margin so far this season, and the biggest defeat in history for their opponents. The resounding win also brought them back to the summit of the table, where they sit with eight games left to play.
Greeted by a frenzied atmosphere at the World Cup venue, the deafening atmosphere was matched by an all-action start to proceedings, with the contest kicking off with some drama as the hosts found themselves a man short moments after the first whistle.
That decisive moment came about when Tshepang Moremi was brought down just outside the box by Oupa Motaung, who was duly given his marching orders for a reckless challenge. His transgression was immediately punished from the resultant free kick, curled into the top corner by Relebohile Mofokeng for his fifth league goal of the season.
Having struck early, the visitors placed more pressure on their hosts as they pushed them deep inside their half. Galaxy goalkeeper Ira Tapé kept the damage to a minimum as he pulled off a stunning save to deny Andre de Jong in the 18th minute, before keeping out Yanela Mbuthuma’s overhead kick from close range.
The Ivorian shot-stopper had the better of Mbuthuma once more on the half-hour mark when the striker was freed up inside the box by Thalente Mbatha. The midfielder had an attempt of his own parried just seconds later as the second goal remained elusive.
That only lasted until the 41st minute when Moremi got his name on the scoresheet with a long range effort into the bottom corner which had too much power for the outstretched Tapé.
Having toiled for their second, Pirates were gifted the third through a comical own goal netted by Galaxy skipper Mlungisi Mbunjana whose misguided back pass rolled past his own keeper into the net.
With a commanding lead at the break, the visitors maintained the same tempo at the beginning of the second half and nearly extended their lead five minutes after the restart when Mofokeng went one-on-one with Tape, with the shot-stopper coming out on top this time around.
The Bucs playmaker however had the last laugh just moments later when he was located by Oswin Appollis, beating one man inside the box before slotting home his side’s fourth.
The visitors remained the dominant side despite being well ahead, making the most of their numerical advantage. They netted their fifth just after the hour mark when Kamogelo Sebelebele was released on the right flank, where he made no mistake in firing into the net against his former side.
The floodgates remained open, and Mofokeng soon completed his hat-trick with an excellent curler from the edge of the box which burst through the diving Tapé into the back of the net.
The afternoon could have gotten even grimmer for the home side when replacement midfielder Sipho Mbule went narrowly wide of the target from a set piece taken in front of goal. Further chances fell to Appollis and Mbuthuma as the contest drew to a close, but neither could add their names to the scoresheet.
Those would have provided more gloss on an already emphatic victory which guaranteed the Soweto Giants a spot on the top of the league standings going into the upcoming international break.
Pirates XI: Chaine, Seema, Sibisi (Chabatsane 71’), Sebelebele, Hotto, Nemtajela (Makhaula 83’), Mbatha (Mbule 71’), De Jong (Appollis 46’), Morem (Maswanganyi 71’)i, Mofokeng, Mbuthuma .
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.