Publications
Partners
Orlando - Orlando Pirates staged an incredible second half fightback to beat Wits 3-2 to jump to the top of the Absa Premiership in a five goal thriller played at Orlando Stadium last night.
The winner in injury time was scored by substitute Katlego Mashego after two second half goals netted by Issa Chansa had cancelled out the Students' 2-0 half-time lead.
Bucs looked dead and buried at halftime but showed they are made of sterner stuff.
Bucs keeper Senzo Meyiwa gifted the Clever Boys two first half goals.
But a new-look Bucs side showed they are championship material after the break where super sub Mark Mayambela shone.
Meyiwa, who was preferred by coach Ruud Krol to the more experienced and reliable Moeneeb Josephs, had a first half he would rather forget.
Meyiwa, who helped Bucs defeat Golden Arrows 2-0 in Durban last week, retained his place despite Krol having the more experienced Josephs back after the Bafana Bafana number two keeper was suspended for the Arrows match.
Meyiwa failed to deal with a high ball and allowed Stanton Fredericks to head home the opening goal on 26 minutes to silence the Bucs faithful.
The second mistake from Meyiwa was a howler which came three minutes later and had the fans in the 10 000 crowd howling for his blood when he spilt Sibusiso Vilakazi’s shot and quick as a flash his namesake Sifiso Vilakazi was on hand to blast home the loose ball to make it 2-0 and silence the home crowd.
Then Meyiwa and defender Happy Jele had a let off in the 33rd minute when Sifiso Vilakazi beat Jele, rounded Meyiwa only to hammer the ball against the upright.
Pirates playing their usual negative game at home with only one striker in the form of Thulasizwe Mbuyane had Wits under pressure early on but the Students weathered the storm and became stronger while Pirates lost the plot.
Earlier Meyiwa had done well to block a powerful shot from Patrick Phungwayo in the 22nd minute and then was forced to fist a long-range thunderbolt from David Oliveira over his crossbar in the 25th minute.
But the two quick goals stunned the shell shocked Pirates who failed to raise their game and were lucky only to be 2-0 down at the break.
Pirates came out smoking after the break. Wits keeper Darren Keet was forced to make a timely save right after the restart of the second half when he turned a powerful shot from Oupa Manyisa for a corner.
But again the Students rode out the early storm.
Another Meyiwa blunder resulted in Wits getting an indirect free-kick on the edge of the six-yard box in the54th minute. But Meyiwa managed to block Frederick’s shot.
Wits sensing blood took the game to Pirates and came close to making it 3-0 in the 58th minute when Sibusiso Vilakazi headed Sifiso Myeni’s cross over the crossbar.
But Pirates had no luck. They hit the woodwork twice in succession in the 61 st minute when first substitute Mark Mayambela struck the post and from the rebound Manyisa crashed his shot off the crossbar.
But Bucs pressure paid off in the 69th minute when Mbuyane delivered a pin point cross to Isaac Chansa and the wide awake Zambian international midfielder made no mistake with a superb finish to make it 2-1 and game on.
Pirates showed their fighting spirit when Mayambela, who made the world of difference in the second half, laid off a brilliant cross for Chansa who thumped home the equaliser with an unstoppable shot giving Keet no chance from close range.
There was more drama in the 79th minute when Wits captain Tefu Mashamaite had a goal ruled offside.
Meyiwa also fumbled a shot from Wits substitute Mark Haskins in the 85th minute as the Students went for the winner. Then Mayambela shot over the upright in the last minute of this ding-dong battle that saw Mashego score a dramatic last gasp winner two minutes into injury time.
