A late strike by Thabo Qalinge secured a 1-0 victory for Orlando Pirates in their Absa Premiership encounter against Cape Town City at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday night, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.
Pirates headed into the encounter on the back of a 0-0 draw against Maritzburg United, with Milutin Sredojevic making two changes to the team. Thembinkosi Lorch and Mpho Makola replaced Thamsanqa Gabuza and Abbubaker Mobara in the lineup.
On their part, Benni McCarthy’s side had endured a 2-0 defeat against Kaiser Chiefs. McCarthy made five changes, with Shuaib Walters, Taariq Fielies, Ebrahim Seedat, Thamsanqa Mkhize and Roland Putsche being handed starting berths ahead of Sage Stephens, Tshepo Gumede, Edmilson, Vincent Kobola and Teko Modise respectively.
The encounter got off to a frantic pace, with both sides intent on attacking from the offset. Pirates were awarded the first chance of the game when Morrison threaded through a brilliant ball to Lorch in the tenth minute, but the winger’s effort was kept out by Walters.
A minute later, Musa Nyatama blasted the ball over from close range after a great training ground move from a corner.
Wayne Sandilands ensured that the scorelines remained level when he reacted quickest to palm over Putsche’s goal-bound header.
Lakay proved to be a real menace for the home side and the winger displayed his quality with an inch-perfect pass in the 16th minute, which Patosi got on to the end of, but his subsequent effort was blocked by the onrushing Sandilands.
Majoro had the ball in the back of the net in the 33rd minute after he latched on to Lakay’s cross, but the referee adjudged Majoro to have impeded Sandilands, although replays suggested otherwise.
Pirates came close to scoring moments before the half-time break when a well-worked move resulted in Lorch finding some space in the area, but Seedat’s timely intervention ensured that the scorelines remained deadlocked.
The visitors were forced into a change in the second half as Letsie Koapeng came on for the injured Putsche.
Pirates made their first change of the game in the 52nd minute when youngster Lyle Foster came on to replace Morrison.
The intensity of the clash severely dropped in the second stanza, with both sides opting for the route-one approach.
Thabiso Kutumela was introduced for Makola in the 58th minute, and City almost took the lead a minute later from a brilliantly taken training ground routine, but once again Sandilands had his wits about him to keep out a headed effort by Taariq Fielies.
Pirates gradually found their rhythm and came close to opening the scoring in the 68th minute when a good passing move saw the ball fall to Matlaba just outside the area, but the defender pushed his effort wide of the target.
Benni signalled his intention to go for broke as City brought on debutant Victor Obinna and Edmilson for Majoro and Patosi in the 71st minute respectively.
Pirates should have opened the scoring when Foster was put through on goal by Matlaba, but instead of playing a square ball for Qalinge, he opted to shoot, which allowed Fielies to make the defensive clearance.
The home side made their final change and signalled their intent for a goal too, as they brought on Luvuyo Memela for Lorch.
A momentary lapse in concentration by City allowed Pirates to break the deadlock in the 82nd minute when Foster’s ball into the area was met by Qalinge, who duly slotted home after a terrible goalkeeping error by Walters.
City threw everything at Pirates in the remaining minutes of the encounter, but it was not too be as Micho’s side extended their good run of form in the campaign.
Photo: Gavin Barker/Backpagepix
