A brace from Pule Mmodi inspired Golden Arrows to a 2-0 win over Orlando Pirates in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership match at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont on Tuesday.
Victory, a first in this fixture for Abafana Bes’thende since 2017, moved the KwaZulu-Natal club above Pirates and into fourth on goal difference, eight points behind league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Arrows conjured the first chance of the match through Knox Mutizwa in the 10th minute. Seth Parusnath teed up the Zimbabwean forward but Richard Ofori pulled off a great save to keep Mutizwa from scoring for the third straight game.
The hosts continued to knock on the Pirates door and opened the scoring with 40 minutes on the clock in controversial fashion. With two balls on the pitch, the Buccaneers switched off, allowing Arrows to take a quick throw-in and with the Pirates defence flat-footed, Mmodi capitalized with a neat finish from an acute angle, for the first goal in this rivalry since March 2019.
Pirates had a chance to pull level just short of the hour mark following a handball in the area, but Thembinkosi Lorch thumped his penalty attempt over the crossbar and into the night sky.
He was made to rue that miss soon after as Arrows doubled their lead. A long punt forward caught Pirates by surprise and Mmodi, alert to the chance, raced onto the loose ball before firing past Ofori in the 67th minute to complete his brace.
Pirates tried to find a way back into the match but never really troubled the Arrows defence as they squandered a glorious opportunity to close the gap on those above them on the league standings.
Golden Arrows (1) 2 (Mmodi 40′ 67′)
Orlando Pirates (0) 0
GOLDEN ARROWS: Mlungwana; Lunga, Zuke, Sibisi, M.Dube, L.Dube (Phiri 56′), Parusnath (Mtshali 56′), Mmodi, Makhubela, Mutizwa, Gumede (Sabelo 69′).
ORLANDO PIRATES: Ofori; Mako, Maela, Jele, Nyauza (Motshwari 46′), Ndlovu, Monare (Jooste 81′), Makaringe (Dzvukamanja 87′), Tshobeni (Mhango 46′), Hotto, Lorch (Mntambo 81′).© Backpage TXT.
SOURCED FROM THE PSL WEBSITE.
