Lorch, Dube take Pirates to victory over Arrows

by Graeme Jackson

Saturday Mar 17, 2018. 22:17

Goals from Thembinkosi Lorch and Mthokozisi Dube took Orlando Pirates to a 2-1 away win over Golden Arrows on Saturday night.

The result at Princess Magogo Stadium sees the Buccaneers move to within a point of Absa Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns (who have a game in hand), while Abafana Bes’thende remain in 12th spot.

The first notable action occurred midway through the first half, as Pirates had a strong shout for a penalty waved away by the referee.

Justin Shonga sprung the offside trap and looked to give Mthokozisi Dube a tap-in, but he appeared to be pulled back by Zolani Nkombelo and the ball passed harmlessly across the face of goal.

Just before the half-hour mark, Arrows should have claimed the lead: a cleverly worked set piece saw Siphelele Magubane gift Danny Venter a clear sight of goal in the penalty area, but the winger blasted his shot over the target.

Pirates claimed the ascendancy with a superbly-worked goal four minutes into the second half, as a diagonal ball into the box picked out Musa Nyatama, whose first-time touch perfectly teed up Thembinkosi Lorch to fire home and make it 1-0.

On 57 minutes Arrows were reduced to 10 men in unfortunate circumstances, as a case of mistaken identity saw Limbikani Mzava receive a second yellow card, when in fact the challenge which drew the ire of the referee was committed by Mzwandile Buthelezi.

The Buccaneers took advantage of their extra man and claimed a second goal through Dube in the 70th minute, with the defender scoring his first in the professional ranks as an attempted clearance rebounded off his legs and found the back of the net.

Arrows pulled a goal back in the 84th minute, after good work from Lerato Lamola and a slip at the back from Bucs allowed Jabulani Shongwe to fire home a left-footed shot, but it proved no more than a consolation for the home side.

Golden Arrows (0) 1 (Shongwe 84’)

Orlando Pirates (0) 2 (Lorch 49’, Dube 70’)

Arrows: Mbaeva, Mzava, Mathiane, Buthelezi, Nkombelo, Bilankulu, Zuke (Shongwe 58’), Venter, Ndwandwe (Sibiya 78’), Magubane (Jooste 60’), Lamola

Pirates: Mpontshane, Dube, Jele, Munetsi, Maela, Shitolo, Nyatama, Mlambo, Lorch (Makola 72’), Shonga (Gabuza 78’), Memela (Matlaba 90+1’)