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Cape Town - Orlando Pirates continued their late-season surge with a seventh win in their past eight matches as they eased past Golden Arrows 4-1 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
There was an early chance for the visitors when Thabo Rakhale crossed from the right for Mpho Makola, who headed meekly over.
After a few promising counter attacks were disrupted, Pirates shot ahead when Tendai Ndoro pounced on a loose ball in the area and neatly tucked the ball under Maximilian Mbaeva.
It was 2-0 even before the midway point of the half as Masalesa played a long ball from the right of the defence that slipped through the napping home defence and allowed Luvuyo Memela time and space to finish.
The Buccaneers went further ahead before the break with Ndoro wrong-siding Mbaeva with his penalty, which was awarded when Siyabonga Dube pulled back Thabo Matlaba in the box.
The game turned on its head within eight minutes of the restart as Masalesa was red carded following two cautions within four minutes.
And Sibiya pulled a goal back seconds after coming on when he raced into the box, ball at feet, and smashed it beyond Brighton Mhlongo.
Then in stoppage time another replacement, Issa Sarr, crashed the ball in off the crossbar to cap a comfortable win that ensured Eric Tinkler's men closed to within two points of Kaizer Chiefs above them.
