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Buccaneers run riot

Johannesburg - Ruud Krol was the victor in the battle of the Dutch coaches as his Orlando Pirates outfit revived their title bid with a resounding 3-0 win over Ajax Cape Town.

The Urban Warriors returned to the scene of their embarrassing 6-0 MTN8 final defeat although this time under the stewardship of Foppe de Haan - who questioned his countryman Krol's credentials before the fixture.

But De Haan's Ajax were no match for the Gauteng giants who found the back of the net through Katlego Mashego, Phenyo Mongala and Rooi Mahamutsa.

Both Teko Modise and Lucas Thwala were rested following their exertions with the South African national team but nonetheless Krol fielded an offensive starting XI.

Two of his attacking weapons in Dikgang Mabalane and Mbuyane combined beautifully after just seven minutes as the former used his potent pace to good effect down the right flank.

'The Terminator' dashed into the box and appeared to be shaping for a shot with Hans Vonk committing to the save. But he promptly squared for Mbuyane who steered the ball straight into Deniss Ivanovs' body with an empty goal beckoning.

But in the 28th minute the Buccaneers would not be denied as Josephy Kamwendo's cross from the right found the head of Mbuyane in the box. He laid the ball off to Mashego lurking on the edge of the area and he twisted his body to hack his shot beyond Vonk to open the scoring.

Hitherto the closest the Urban Warriors had come to scoring was from long-range shots from Franklyn Cale and four minutes after the Soweto side broke the deadlock, the visitors came close to finding an equaliser.

Again it was Cale who was the architect of Ajax's offensive foray as his sweetly-timed shot from a tight angle glanced off Ivanovs and rattled the upright with Moeneeb Josephs well beaten.

Pirates went into the interval a goal to the good and doubled their advantage eight minutes into the second stanza when Mongala capitalised on some sloppy defending to open his league account for the Bucs.

The Botswana international created the goal when he controlled the ball and played a quick give-and-go with Lucky Lekgwathi.

The former Pretoria University star then took a few strides towards the box before lashing the ball past Vonk with an unstoppable drive off his weaker right foot.

Krol's charges almost added a third in the 68th minute as Vonk spilled a routine catch from Andile Jali's innocuous cross. Mbuyane stole in but his toe poke floated over the crossbar.

But one minute later the 2003 PSL champions were gifted another opportunity when Nazeer Allie conceded a penalty after the ball struck his arm.

Rooi Mahamutsa stepped up and nonchalantly stroked the ball into the right corner to make the score 3-0.

Mashego hit the woodwork in injury time but it didn't matter as Pirates secured the three points.

Krol and his assistant Craig Rosslee - the former Ajax boss - left the Orlando Stadium with the upperhand over the outspoken De Haan. 
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