Pirates sail on after Gallants victory

Orlando Pirates put on a dominant display in their recent Dstv Premiership encounter, recording a 2-0 win over Marumo Gallants at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday night.

With five minutes on the clock, Pirates immediately assumed possession of the ball and strung together a number of passing sequences. Deon Hotto manufactured the first real chance of the game after making a darting run into the box. However, the Namibian was thwarted at the right time.

Pirates continued to dominate play as the 15th minute approached and Gallants sat back, soaking up the pressure. During this period, the home team were reduced to playing on the counterattack.

In looking for openings in the Gallants’ defence, Pirates attacked predominantly on their left hand side, with Hotto proving to be a tricky customer. However, the home side remained solid midway through the first half.

Gallants’ best chances stemmed from set-piece situations but failed to trouble the stubborn Bucs backline. Pirates remained confident in their build-up play, taking the patient approach for most of the first half.

The Soweto giants’ pressure paid off in the 36th minute after Terrence Dzvukamanja penetrated the Gallants’ backline on the left flank.

The attacker then found Monnapule Saleng in the centre of the box, who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net.

After a half of dominance, Pirates went into the break with a slender 1-0 lead.

Much like the first half, Pirates got the second 45 off to a strong start and immediately went on the attack. In managing the attacking moves, Gallants defended deep in their own half.

Pirates doubled their advantage in the 67th minute after the referee spotted an infringement inside the Gallants area. While Ismail Watenga dived in the correct direction, Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo’s effort proved to be too accurate for the Marumo shot-stopper.

Nonetheless, Pirates saw out the game without any troubles and recorded a 2-0 win.