Orlando Pirates moved to the summit of the DStv Premiership table after a 1-0 win over Marumo Gallants at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Pirates started the game like a house on fire and took the lead as early as the third minute when Zakhele Lepasa sprinted down the line and his fizzed effort struck the upright – which saw Paseka Mako tap the rebound into an empty net.
The early goal settled the nerves and with Gallants, who came into the game with four draws from their opening four games, needing three points desperately, they took the game to the game side.
But the midfield shield of Miguel Timm and Goodman Mosele proved impossible to penetrate at times despite the industrious passing game of Celimpilo Ngema and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo.
It was easy on the eye for most of the half but Lepasa was the only one who had a clear-cut chance before the break after he went in clean through on goal but his effort was clipped so close to making it 2-0 that the stadium music and fans celebrated for a short moment.
Pirates looked to take control of the game in the second half, and coach Jose Riveiro brought on Fortune Makaringe for Kabelo Dlamini to freshen up their midfield going forward and after some good possession early on, it was severely disrupted when Tapelo Xoki and Nkosanathi Sibisi had a horrific clash of heads – with both ending up stretchered off the field.
Deon Hotto and Olisa Ndah were introduced as replacements, with play stopped for almost ten minutes of the game. It took the sting out of the affair for a while.
In the final ten minutes, Gallants pushed for the equaliser, but it wasn’t to be, as the Buccaneers and the Ghost were left elated with their third win in six games this season and inflicting Galants first defeat this season under new head coach Romain Folz.
