Goals by Thembinkosi Lorch and Mthokozisi Dube helped Orlando Pirates to a 2-1 victory against ten-man Golden Arrows at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday night, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.

Pirates started the brighter of the two teams and should have taken the lead in the fourth minute but Lorch blasted his effort over from outside the error.

The home side hardly threatened and had their first real effort on target in the 29th minute when Danny Venter latched onto a cleverly taken freekick, but the winger failed to hit the target from within the area.

Pirates opened the scoring four minutes after the restart of the second-half when Musa Nyatama played in Lorch, who made no mistake from within the area.

The referee came into the spotlight in the 55th minute when he mistakenly booked Limbikani Mzava for his second yellow card on a challenge that was actually committed by Mzwandile Buthelezi and Arrows were down to 10 men as a result.

The visitors doubled their advantage after good built up play saw the ball ricochet onto Dube’s knee and into the back of the net.

Jabulani Shongwe gave the home side a late surge of hope as he pulled one back moments before the final whistle, however it proved too little too late as Pirates ran out 2-1 victors.

Starting XI:

Arrows XI: 1. Mbaeva, 5. Mzava, 20. Mathiane, 3. Buthelezi, 2. Nkombelo, 28. Bilankulu, 35. Zuke, 37. Ndwandwe, 4. Venter, 27. Magubane, 41. Lamola.

Pirates XI: 40. Mpontshane, 4. Jele, 6. Shitolo, 28. Dube, 23. Maela, 14. Nyatama, 37. Mlambo, 33. Munetsi, 11. Memela, 3. Lorch, 27. Shonga.

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