Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Orlando Pirates moved up to second in the Absa Premiership table after an own goal in stoppage handed them a 1-0 win over Black Leopards at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Sunday.
The loss will be a blow to the home team who held out gamely until Thabiso Mokwena put the ball into his own net in the first minute of added time.
The Buccaneers started the match looking to take the game to their hosts and created the first chance when in-form striker Gabadinho Mhango scuffed his shot wide from point-blank range.
Lidoda Duvha then should have taken lead after Thabo Matlaba was sent clean through on goal but the former Pirates defender shot over the bar of goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands.
Barely a minute later it was the Pirates shot-stopper who produced a magnificent save to keep out a header from Edwin Gyimah, who was another player form the hosts playing against his former employers.
Luvuyo Memela then tried a stunning long-range effort for the Soweto giants but his shot went over the cross-bar as the teams went into the halftime break with the score still goalless.
Leopards came out firing after the interval and Sandilands again had to be at his best to keep out a Mwape Musonda effort after good work by Matlaba.
The visitors upped the tempo with 20 minutes remaining and it nearly paid off as Vincent Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch both hit the woodwork.
Pirates were certainly throwing everything at the home as the clocked towards the end and the pressure finally told as Mokwena flicked the ball into his own net from a Pule cross.
The victory moves the Buccaneers one point ahead of third-placed Mamelodi Sundowns in the table but still six adrift of log-leaders and Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs.
- TeamTalk Media
Channel 202
