Five-star Orlando Pirates responded to the opposition’s penalty miss with a three-goal blitz to crown their 5-0 over Sekhukhune United in their MTN8 clash at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, on Saturday evening after leading 1-0 at halftime.
Despite their slender 1-0 halftime lead and Pirates' overall dominance up to that stage, the match remained evenly posited because Sekhukhune always looked threatening on attack.
Early in the second half, Nigerian Chibuike Ohizu missed a penalty for Sekhukhune and Pirates celebrated the let-off with a three-goal blitz in the space of six minutes. The three goals were scored by Zakhele Lepasa (57'), Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo (59') and Monnapule Saleng (63').
At the kick-off, Pirates fielded an unchanged side after their 4-2 midweek win over Royal AM and retained their playing formation which included a five-man midfield.
Sekhukhune, fresh from their win over Cape Town Spurs, made one change which saw Zaphaniah Mbokoma included in the starting XI.
From the outset, Pirates grabbed the initiative, and their thrust was evident down the centre of the field, and it was hard to contain. Sekhukhune was forced onto a defensive role and they did so in a workmanlike fashion, but it did not give them much chance to run at Pirates' defence.
Sekhukhune occasional counter-attacks looked promising in the early stage but once they entered the final third, they lost their way, and this was their lot for the rest of the first half.
After Sekhukhune had absorbed the early pressure, their defence cracked in the 22nd minute when they failed to deal with a Maswanganyi goalmouth cross and Lepasa pounced for what was his first of tree goals in the match.
As it turned out, it was Pirates’ only first-half goal after they hit were denied in quick succession by the woodwork on the stroke of halftime.
Once Pirates opened a 4-0 lead, Lepasa missed a penalty to deny himself a hattrick but he claimed that honour with a goal three minutes ahead of the final whistle.
IOL Sport