Bucs Reserves Brush Chippa Aside

Orlando Pirates Reserves returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 win over Chippa United in their DStv Diski Challenge encounter at Tsakane Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Heading into another Reserve League festival, the Bucs Reserves were on a mission to bounce back after defeat on the road against Cape Town City when they hosted the team from the Eastern Cape in Tsakane.

It was a fast-paced start to the encounter with the home side sparking their initial attacks from the flanks. Winger Mohau Nkota was heavily involved as he twice came close to providing an early goal during the opening exchanges.

The last of his two opportunities in the first five minutes of the game was the closest, as he wiggled his way into space on the right before his effort at goal was kept out by the upright.

Striker Mpumelelo Ndaba had a half-chance midway through the opening half but was not afforded space to shoot from the edge of the area just before Chippa began to grow into the contest, making their own forays into the Pirates half.

The visitors’ best chances of the first 45 minutes came through the boot of Asanele Bonani, who hooked his shot wide on two occasions after finding himself in space deep inside Bucs territory.

Pirates could have had the final say in the first half as they countered through the left flank, where Lulama Nxumalo’s attempted cross was deflected out of play.

The second period began with the Buccaneers pinning the visitors back inside their own half as Jabulani Mokone connected with Ndaba, who pulled his shot at goal inches wide in search of the opener.

They eventually reaped reward from the pressure applied with defender Mbekezile Mbokazi providing the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when he leaped high from a corner to head in, making it 1-0.

It only took a further six minutes for the home side to double their lead as the ball was worked through the path of Nkota, who danced down the right flank before calmly slotting home his side’s second and his third of the season.

There was a rare chance at the other end where Chippa looked to pull one back, but Bucs keeper Zoey Monyepao was alert to the danger as he went low to his right to deny Bonani.

The Buccaneers continued to dominate, with second-half substitutes Mickayle Arends and Simphiwe Selepe each getting a shot at goal without finding a way past Chippa shot-stopper, Lindokuhle Ndyenge.

This continued until halfway into injury time when another Bucs defender put his name on the scoresheet as Senzelumusa Sibiya pulled off a striker’s finish with a beautiful curling shot from the edge of the box after getting on the end of some neat interplay from his teammates.

That proved to be the last notable attacking action of the contest, with Pirates putting three goals past Chippa for the third game running on their way to their fourth win of the season.

Pirates XI: Monyepao, Magugwana, Mbokazi, Mokone, Sibiya, Molepo, Masemola (Selepe 70’), Nxumalo (Arends 65’), Nkota, Mdunge (Magadla 65’), Ndaba (Maphumulo 65’).

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