Winning return for Pirates
Collins Mbesuma’s first half strike handed Orlando Pirates a 1-0 win over Maritzburg United in a Absa Premiership encounter player at the Harry Gwala stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday evening.
Maritzburg United coach Clinton Larsen made five changes to the side that lost to Golden Arrows over the past weekend, with Ayanda Nkosi rewarded with a start following an impressive display against Abafana Bes’thende.
Former Buccaneer Micheal Morton captained the Team of Choice against his former side.
Roger de Sa on the other hand made three changes to the outfit that saw off SuperSport United to reach the final of this season’s Telkom Knockout final.
Lucky Lekgwathi, Aubrey Ngoma and Collins Mbesuma were all included in the starting XI.
Perfect footballing conditions along with a healthy crowd welcomed the two sides onto the pitch. The game was Bucs first in the Absa Premiership since the Soweto derby at the end of October.
Both keepers were virtually untroubled in the early exchanges, as both sides opted to feel each other out.
The Sea Robbers opened the scoring in the 31st minute through Zambia international Collins Mbesuma.
Thabo Matlaba, who had been troubling the United defence down the left flank, made a powerful run up field before rolling the balling into the path of Mbesuma who in turn produced a sliding finish, 1-0.
United looked dangerous on occasion in the first stanza, but a lack of patience in the final third cost them.
Chances were few in far in the second half, with most of the action taking place in the middle of the park.
The Team of Choice piled on the pressure in the final few minutes, the Buccaneers defence looked tired but they held on in the end to secure their second win of the campaign.
The loss is United’s third on the trot, they subsequently drop down into 10th place on the log.
Pirates remain bottom of the table despite the win, but have only played four league matches.
Maritzburg United 0
Orlando Pirates (1) 1 (Mbesuma 31’)
Maritzburg United: Walters, Matuka, M.Booysen, Awal, Petersen (Isaacks 46’), Morton, Mkhize, De Jongh, Sekotlong, Evans (Buckley 22’), Nkosi (Yakubu Mohammed 67’)
Orlando Pirates: Meyiwa, Jele, Matlaba, Lekgwathi, Gcaba, Jali, Manyisa, Myeni, Segolela (Ntshumayelo 57’), Ngoma (Masuku 70’), Mbesuma (Bacela 70’)
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