Johannesburg – Orlando Pirates cruised to a 2-0 victory over Chippa United courtesy of goals from Mpho Makola and Sifiso Myeni at the Orlando Stadium.
After a dominant first-half that overpowered the visiting team, the Sea Robbers sailed away with the points in Soweto.
Chippa goalkeeper Mbongeni Mzimela was tested early in the clash when Myeni hit a snap-shot in the fourth minute on the edge of the box that the minder collected comfortably.
In the following move Myeni on the right flank provided an inch perfect cross to Makola, who diverted the ball in from close range in the sixth minute.
While Chippa’s attacking players struggled to combine for build-up play in the opposition half, Pirates were running circles creating numerous scoring opportunities in the opening stanza.
In the 16th minute industrious Pirates wing-back Thabo Matlaba beat his marker Ruben Cloete near the corner flag to hit a shot from an acute angle that Mzimela saved.
Pirates’ defensive stalwart Siyabonga Sangweni was also in the mood as he powered forward into the opposition half with the ball and fed through Makola, who was dispossessed by James Okwuosa.
The Buccaneers’ second goal came in the 27th minute through Myeni, who was the beneficiary of an assist from Thandani Ntshumayelo.
The Soweto-giants went into the interval in full control of the encounter with the Eastern Cape outfit having posed little threat to their defensive wall.
Pirates’ evergreen playmaker Oupa Manyisa dazzled the Chippa defence with a wonderful run on the flank that set-up Kermit Erasmus for a shot at goal that sailed over the posts in the 49th minute.
Manti Moholo broke free of the Pirates defence with his silky touches, but in the end his finishing let him down.
In the 54th minute midfielder enforcer Isaa Sarr stopped another opposition attack in its tracks when he niftily nicked the ball from Mhlengi Cele.
When it seemed like Chippa was stringing together the passes for a goal threatening move, their final touch in the Pirates penalty box was their undoing.
Chippa had a golden opportunity to pull a goal back when Andile Mbenyane beat a tackle from Rooi Mahamutsa to strike the ball agonisingly wide of the target. – Sapa