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Orlando Pirates celebrate (Rooster)
Fortune Makaringe scored a late winner as Orlando Pirates claimed a 1-0 victory over ten men Chippa united at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Pirates took an early blow when forward Zakhele Lepasa sprained his ankle and was stretched off the field to be replaced by Gabadinho Mhango.
The Buccaneers looked menacing. In the 10th minute, Thabiso Monyane was freed from behind Chippa’s defense from a long ball and the right-back appeared to have passed Thabiso Lebitso, but the Chilli Boys defender recovered well.
Monyane then made a mistake by handing the ball to Augustine Kwem, but the defender rebounded fantastically with a last-minute intervention.
While the Pirates spent a lot of time in the last third and enjoyed the overwhelming majority of possession, clear chances were few and far between.
That, until Thembinkosi Lorch hit a superb ball off the back post for Mhango, who went head to goal, but was saved by Ayanda Mtshali, who knocked the ball over the crossbar.
The Chilli Boys were reduced to ten men on the edge of the break when defender Sandile Mthethwa was sent off for putting his elbow in Deon Hotto’s face.
The Bucs had 60 percent of possession in the first half, but only one shot on goal and needed to find more edge in the second period.
And so Bucs coach Josef Zinnbauer replaced Monyane with Tshegofatso Mabaso and the first chance of the second half went to the substitute after Mhango headed the ball towards him, but his goal shot was well blocked by the Chippa central, Isaac Nhlapo.
Chippa brought in Gregory Damons for Lebitso, while Pirates brought in Terrence Dzvukamanja and Nkanyiso Zungu for the injured Mabasa and Ben Motshwari.
Pule then looked to get behind Chippa’s defense with some tricky dribbling, but Nhlapo came back in time and his effort went straight to the keeper.
And just when it seemed like the game was heading for a standstill, the Pirates finally found the key to unlock Chippa’s defense.
Lorch threw the ball around the corner for substitute Linda Mntambo, who made the last pass to Makaringe, who swung the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net to finish off a brilliant team goal and seal the three points.
– TeamTALK media
