Orlando Pirates’ Monnapule Saleng celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during their DStv Premiership match against Moroka Swallows Orlando Pirates’ Monnapule Saleng celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during their DStv Premiership match against Moroka Swallows at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg on Tuesday. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Orlando Pirates won yet another Soweto derby last night as they made easy work of a Moroka Swallows they just know how to beat.
Not since December 2021 have Swallows got a point from a clash with the Buccaneers and the status quo remained as Jose Riveiro's team found the net either side of halftime.
Evidence Makgopa gives Orlando Pirates the lead at the break 👏
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2023
The second half is coming up next ⏭
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Evidence Makgopa scored shortly before the break and late in the match substitute Monnapule Saleng showed brilliance and persistence to force an own goal out of Sibiya .
It waa a deserved victory for a Pirates side that made it two Soweto derby wins in quick succession after they were 1-0 winners over Kaizer Chiefs before the Fifa break.
They were the better team overall even though they were not in scintillation form. But they were solid alright, Pirates attacking with much more intent, controlling the middle of the park and looking solid defensively.
They were were full value of their 1-0 halftime lead after being the more dominant side and created the better chances.
They got their goal via Makgopa on 39 minutes, the striker latching on to a well-threaded pass from Vincent Pule. The strike came about after a Dunisani Zuma pass got intercepted by Miguel Timm who shared the ball with Pule.
Makgopa had put the ball into the net a half an hour earlier but was adjudged to have done so from an offside position with Pule having been the supplier then too.
Pirates had been threatening for most if the half, the home side having asked questions of their adversaries as early as the fifth minute only for Daniel Akpeyi to snuff out the attack.
The Nigerian goalkeeper was beaten by Relebohile Mofokeng three minutes later but the Pirates forward was in an offside position.
Akpeyi then pulled off a good save on 32 minutes by fisting Patrick Maswanganyi's header over following a delicate chip into the box by Mofokeng.
They came back from the break and looks to add more goals but it took them a while yo get it right, Riveiro making numerous changes.
One of those was Saleng who made an immediate impact with a fantastic forceful run on their right before he pushed the ball back just before it went over the line.
And the ball ricocheted off Sipho Sibiya into the net to make the victory much more convincing as Pirates banged maximum points which helped them move up the table at the expense of a Swallows outfit that missed no leas than five of their regular players.
IOL Sport
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