PIRATES OVERCAME CHIPPA TO GO SECOND
Orlando Pirates overcame Chippa United 4-2 in an Absa Premiership match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
The victory took the Buccaneers to second spot on the league standings, while the Chilli Boys slipped down to ninth place on the table.
The Buccaneers dominated possession from the start with Bernard Morrison and Justin Shonga looking lively upfront for the visitors.
Milutin Sredojevic’s side was playing enterprising football and they were awarded a free-kick in a promising area in the fifth minute.
Shonga then stepped up and he forced Chippa goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo into a good diving save from the set-piece.
However, the hosts grew in confidence as the match progressed and they managed to break the deadlock in the 18th minute.
Andile Mbenyane set-up Mxolisi Macuphu, who beat Pirates keeper Jackson Mabokgwane with a beautiful volley to make it 1-0 to Chippa.
The Buccaneers then piled pressure on the Chilly Boys defence and they were awarded a penalty after Paseka Mako had handled Morrison’s cross.
Ghanaian forward Morrison then made no mistake from the spot-kick as he fired past Mhlongo to draw the scores level in the 26th minute.
Mark Mayambela, who is a former Bucs winger, tried to restore Chippa’s lead with a powerful long-range shot in the 43rd minute, but he missed the target.
The score was 1-1 at the interval following a lively first half, which was slightly dominated by Pirates.
Bucs continued to launch attacks after the restart and Morrison’s shot shaved the wrong side of the post in the 48th minute as the diminutive forward looked to grab his brace.
Morrison, who was causing havoc for the Chilli Boys, managed to break behind the hosts’ defence and tried to chip Mhlongo, but the ball went inches wide in the 62nd minute.
Pirates deservedly took the lead for the first time 11 minutes later through Shonga, who scored with a good finish following a goalmouth scramble in the Chippa box.
However, the visitors’ lead only lasted for nine minutes as former Pirates striker Katlego Mashego pounced and scored to make it 2-2.
It was end-to-end stuff in the closing stages of the game as Thembinkosi Lorch scored with a header to make it 3-2 to Pirates with four minutes left on the clock.
Shonga then sealed Pirates’ 4-2 win in stoppage time as he scored with a long-range effort which beat Mhlongo hands down.
Chippa (1) 2 (Macuphu 18′, Mashego 82′)
Pirates (1) 4 (Morrison 26′, Shonga 73′ 90+4′, Lorch 86′)
Chippa: Mhlongo, Modisane, Konqobe, Okwuosa, Mako, Rakhale, Mabaso (Maholo 75′), Mdlinzo, Mayambela (Mashego 82′), Mbenyane, Machupu (Sali 67′).
Pirates: Mabokgwane, Jele, Nyauza, Dube, Maela, Munetsi (Mlambo 56′), Nyatama, Memela (Matlaba 77′), Lorch (Sarr 90′), Morrison, Shonga.
SOURCED FROM THE PSL WEBSITE.
