Johannesburg - Orlando Pirates shook off their recent poor Absa Premiership form with a dashing display to defeat arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 3-1 in an entertaining ‘Soweto Derby’ in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.
Pirates had no league form to speak of going into the match but they delivered an inspired performance which a rudely surprised Chiefs were never able to match all afternoon.
The match served as a dress rehearsal for next week’s Telkom Knockout semifinal clash at the same venue.
The teams showed their attacking intentions straight from the kick-off and the play swung like a pendulum from one end to the other. Each side forced a corner in the opening six minutes but neither managed to exploit the set-piece opportunity.
Pirates were looking particularly penetrative down the flank and every now and again they reeled in goalmouth crosses which were mostly overcooked.
Chiefs had ample time to keep their challenge alive and their midfield had no problem taking play into the Pirates half but their feeds to the frontrunners were wayward.
As the half wore on, Pirates started taking the initiative and were proving hard to contain as they approached the striking zone with crisp inter-passing movements.
In the 25th minute, Pirates’ Kermit Erasmus reeled in a free-kick into the opposition goalmouth. The unmarked Siyabonga Sangweni rose well to head powerfully goal-wards but Chiefs’ goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune parried the ball clear of danger but Issa Sarr pounced and struck the stray ball into the back of the net.
The goal marked Pirates’ first score after going scoreless in their last four Premiership games.
Pirates continued to keep a grip on the match and Thabo Matlaba was presented with a 33rd minute chance to increase his side’s lead but he failed to meet a goalmouth cross with an adequate strike.
In the closing stages of the first half, Chiefs started finding ways of rounding the Pirates’ defence out on the flanks but they were unable to take advantage of scoring chances.
Two minutes ahead of the halftime break, Chiefs made the breakthrough when Pirates failed to deal with a Siphiwe Tshabalala free-kick and Erick Mathoho stalked in among three defenders to head the ball home for the equaliser (1-1).
Two minutes into injury time, Pirates’ Erick Mathoho was yellow-carded for what was the 11th foul in first-half play.
After a subdued start to the second half, play suddenly livened as both sets of defences were stretched and gave away close-in free-kicks. Nothing of Tshabalala’s effort in the 53rd minute but a minute later Erasmus, who has become a feared dead-ball specialist, reeled in a corner which was met by a pin-point header from Ayanda Gcaba for Pirates’ second goal.
Chiefs enjoyed several half chances in ensuing play but each time the Pirates defence was alert to the danger.
From around the 73rd minute onward, Pirates fashioned several goalscoring opportunities as a shaky Chiefs defence only just managed to keep out at least three further goals, with Khune making brilliant reflex saves on two occasions.
Just when it seemed Chiefs were going to absorb the late pressure Erasmus intervened with telling consequences. He set off in a dribble into the Chiefs penalty and turned two defenders inside out before laying on a slide-rule scoring pass to Thamsanqa Gabuza in the 82nd minute and that effectively settled the match as a contest (3-1).
African News Agency