| Goals | Goals |
|---|---|
| 3. Sibusiso Msomi (35’) | 24. Enocent Mkhabela (31’) [OG] |
| 29. Mduduzi Nyanda (68’) | 21. Siyabonga Sangweni (76’) |
| 32. Lucas Thwala (90 + 3’) | 37. Tokelo Rantie (79’) |
| 17. Benni McCarthy (86’) |
Déjà vu for Da Gama
Rantie Tokelo of Orlando Pirates challenged by Enocent Mkhabela of Platinum Stars
It may have been a game cluttered with goals, but in the end a Man of the Match performance from the Buccaneers keeper Moneeb Josephs was the difference between the two sides as he made numerous world class saves.
For Platinum Stars and coach Owen da Gama it is a sense of déjà vu as they let another lead slip, conceding three goals in a matter of ten minutes and now see themselves at the wrong end of the table and in a real relegation scrap.
The first 45 minutes saw two goals, both scored by Stars players, but the scores were level at the break largely thanks to the brilliance of Josephs between the sticks for the Buccaneers.
Usually applauded for their wing play, Pirates were being outclassed by the home side with Thuso Phala, and Elias Ngwepe causing numerous problems down the flanks.
The first chance on goal, however, went the way of Pirates in the fourth minute but only came about because of a mistake by Stars goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane.
Dikgang Mabalane provided a routine cross from the left which was spilled by the goalkeeper, straight into the path of Isaac Chansa, but the striker fired well over the crossbar from close range.
Three minutes later, though, and Stars started to make their wing play count as Ngwepe beat a couple defenders before supplying a cross to the front post to find Mduduzi Nyanda six-yards out from goal. He, however, saw his shot brilliantly denied by Josephs, flinging himself to the right to make a fingertip save.
In the 29th minute Stars should really have capitalised on a great counter-attack which saw Thuso Phala slip Ngwepe into space down the left, but Nyanda failed to tuck home a relatively easy chance from eight-yards out after latching onto a low cross from the Ngwepe after he saw his effort superbly saved by Josephs.
The rebound an unmarked Mbatha, but he too saw his ten-yard shot acrobatically saved by the Buccaneers shot-stopper.
Two minutes later and Stars found themselves trailing after an own goal from Enocent Mkhabela gave Pirates the lead – Mkhabela heading into his own net at a corner-kick, 1-0.
The home side, though, quickly hit back, finding the equalising goal in the 35th minute.
A scramble in the Pirates box saw Henrico Botes lay the ball back for an unmarked Sibusiso Msomi who expertly fired the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net from 22-yards out, 1-1, to end the half all square.
The second half started a little slowly, but sprang into life in the 68h minute when Nyanda used his pace to beat Bheki Nzunga on the edge of the box before firing past a stranded Josephs from six-yards out to give Stars the lead, 2-1.
The home sides joy, however, was short-lived as Siyabonga Sangweni drew Pirates level eight minutes later with a powerful header from ten-yards out after latching onto a cross from Mabalane, 2-2.
Three minutes later and Stars went from leading the game to finding themselves trailing after substitute Tokelo Rantie finished off a good passing movement in clinical style from ten-yards out, 3-2.
In the 86th minute veteran striker Benni McCarthy put the result beyond doubt, scoring his side’s fourth goal with another header from about ten-yards out, again latching onto a Mabalane cross, 4-2.
Stars did find a consolation goal as former Pirates player Lucas Thwala found himself in some space at the back post to head home a corner-kick in the dying seconds of the match, 4-3.
The win for Pirates sees them up to fourth on the table and the pressure on Julio Leal ease for the meantime, while for Da Gama and Platinum Stars, they find themselves in real pressure three places from the bottom of the table.
Platinum Stars (1) 3 (Msomi 35’, Nyanda 68’, Thwala 93’)
Orlando Pirates (1) 4 (Mkhabela 31’ OG, Sangweni 76’, Rantie 79’, McCarthy 86’)
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