Impressive First-half Show Takes Orlando Pirates Top

Impressive first-half show takes Orlando Pirates top

Johannesburg, Sept 23 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Sep, 2018 ) :Orlando Pirates replaced Wits as South African Premiership leaders Saturday after an impressive first-half display delivered a 2-1 victory at lowly Baroka.

Kaizer Chiefs made it three wins in eight days by outplaying AmaZulu 2-0 to remain fourth, a point behind arch rivals Pirates and below Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic on goal difference.

The five-match unbeaten run of promoted Highlands Park since the season kicked off came to an end as they fell 1-0 away to Free State stars.

Golden Arrows and Chippa United, who have managed just one league win each, remained in the bottom half of the table after a 0-0 Durban stalemate.

Vincent Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch scored within six minutes during the opening half to give dominant Pirates a 2-0 half-time lead in northern city Polokwane.

But the Soweto outfit surrendered the initiative after the break and better finishing would have earned the home side at least a draw instead of an Onkabetse Makgantai consolation goal.

"Our first half performance was perfect as we controlled every aspect of the game," said Serbia-born Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic.

"The second half was a very different story, though, as we lost control of the game, creating an unnecessarily anxious finish.

" Baroka coach and former Zambia striker Wedson Nyirenda blasted his defence after a fourth loss in seven matches left them just three points above bottom club Maritzburg United.

"We committed suicide in the first half, giving Pule far too much time and space, while the second goal stemmed from a miscommunication between our goalkeeper and a defender." After going a club record five league matches without a win at the start of the season, Chiefs followed up victories over Cape Town City and Free State by outclassing AmaZulu.

Both goals at the national Soccer City stadium on the border between Soweto and Johannesburg came from defenders, full-back Ramahlwe Mphahlele and centre-back Siyabonga Ngezana.

Mphahlele struck two minutes before half-time and Ngezana doubled the lead as the match reached the hour mark.

"Everyone defended when necessary and that impressed me," said Chiefs' Italian coach Giovanni Solinas, who was hired just before the 2018/19 season kicked off.

"I have a lot of good footballers at my disposal which is wonderful as it is creating keen competition for starting places."Free State scored after 57 minutes through Tshepo Tema in central town Bethlehem, then survived the sending off of Nyiko Mobbie to get back on the winning trail.