Pelembe spares Pirates blushes as Pirates limp to victory

Second-half replacement Helder Pelembe scored four minutes from the end to snatch a 1-0 Premiership victory for Orlando Pirates over visiting Maritzburg United at Orlando Stadium, in Soweto, on Tuesday evening.

With the prospect of a third successive Premiership tie without scoring, Pelembe netted the winner to help Pirates limp over the finish-line, climbing three places to fourth in the league standings.

Pirates suffered consecutive defeats to Mpumalanga Black Aces and SuperSport United before Tuesday’s victory, failing to score in both outings, which resulted in a dangerous slide down the table as the season nears its conclusion.

A bright start for the hosts saw a rare attempt at goal from defender Rooi Mahamutsa, who was thwarted by goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters, before Sifiso Myeni went wide inside the opening 10 minutes.

Happy Jele watched as his headed effort was cleared off the line shortly after, while Oupa Manyisa and Mpho Makola also tried their luck from a distance.

Despite dominating possession and enjoying the lion’s share of opportunities at goal, Pirates were unable to find the spark they required to break the deadlock and at times seemed to lack the type of urgency that was required to take the lead.

The Buccaneers were in with an early chance after the half-time break, as Thamsanqa Gabuza was let in behind the Maritzburg defence, after defender Mohammed Awal failed to clear, but the Pirates striker sent his shot straight at the goalkeeper, who made a simple stop.

United, whose attackers had been largely anonymous for much of the game until that point, had a double chance in the space of two minutes as Orlando Smeekes and Heinrich Isaacks forced goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa into a pair of superb saves shortly before the hour mark.

There would be more frustration for the Sea Robbers, who lost their rhythm and found the going tough in front of goal, where wayward shots and wasted opportunities were in abundance, while any notable highlights and goal-mouth action notably absent.

With the clock winding down and the threat of a goalless draw beckoning, Pelembe popped up in the area in the 87th minute and rounded off a superb delivery from Gabuza, to all but secure a smash-and-grab victory for the former champions.

With three points in the bag, Pirates moved to 40 points for the campaign, level with SuperSport and Aces, but lead the pair due to a superior goal-difference.

Ajax stun SuperSport

Ajax Cape Town ended a winless run of six games when they beat SuperSport United 2-0 at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday night.

In an evenly-balanced game, it was the Cape side who made the most of their opportunities on a windy night in the Mother City.

The hosts started the game strongly and had the first chance of the match on 10 minutes, but Carl Lark dragged his effort wide following Keegan Dolly’s cross from the left.

SuperSport got their first chance of the game after 15 minutes, but David Mathebula sent his shot straight at Ajax keeper Anssi Jaakkola, following some good work from former Urban Warriors winger Sameehg Doutie.

The Pretoria side grew stronger as the game reached the 30-minute mark, looking more fluent in their attacking forays, but could not find the killer touch up front as Mathebula again failed to hit the target after being set up by another former Ajax man in Thato Mokeke.

By the time the game moved into the final five minutes of the first half, it was again the home team who had taken the upper hand, and they were rewarded with a goal in first half added time when Tashreeq Morris forced the ball home from close range after SuperSport had failed to adequately clear a free kick into their box.

The second half went much the way of the first, with both sides enjoying their moments in attack but Ajax making the moments that mattered count.

The Urban Warriors nearly extended their lead immediately after the restart, after some good interplay between Dolly and Morris, but Lark shot over the bar from six yards after the cross into the box.

The visiting side then had chances through Mathebula and Lebogang Manyama, but on both occasions they found Jaakola in outstanding form.

SuperSport’s cause took another blow in the 69th minute when they went down to 10 men after a second yellow card for Ennocent Mkhabela.

And things were to get worse for Matsatsantsa just three minutes later when Ajax scored their second goal. Eleazar Rodgers slotted home after Toriq Losper had won the ball in the middle of the park before playing in the striker.

The action continued unabated as Manyama was again denied by Jaakola, while Dolly saw his shot from 15 yards cannoning back off the crossbar.

The hosts were again unlucky not to add a third goal as the woodwork again came to SuperSport’s aid, this time in stoppage time after Losper struck the bar after a jinking run into the box. – Nampa-Sapa