Orlando Pirates Reserves scored three unanswered goals in the second half of their DStv Diski Challenge clash against AmaZulu to walk off 3-0 victors on Sunday.
Heading to the fixture played at Chatsworth Stadium after a disappointing 1-1 draw at home, Joseph Makhanya’s young charges were in search of a maximum points haul that had the potential to push them atop the standings on Match Day 8 of the Reserve League.
They had chances early in the opening half, with Senzelumusa Sibiya and Mohau Nkota both getting close to finding an early breakthrough while the hosts also had an opportunity 17 minutes in, but Bucs keeper Zoey Monyepao came out tops in a one-on-one situation.
The contest continued at a high tempo, but neither side managed to find the back of the net in the first half.
Things appeared to carry on in the same pattern early in the second period as the Bucs Reserves made a couple of surges inside the opposition half without breaking the deadlock.
This only continued until the 52nd minute when defender Lonwabo Magugwana struck through a spectacularly-taken free kick to put the Soweto Giants ahead after a foul on Mehluleli Maphumulo.
The visitors remained on the ascendancy, piling the pressure on Usuthu despite being in the lead, and their advantage was doubled just after the hour mark as Maphumulo finished from close range with the pressure telling on the home side.
The Bucs striker had an opportunity to make it 3-0 as the clock wound down, but could not convert after connecting with Nkota inside the box.
Sibiya then shot wide in the game’s dying moments before Nkota continued to be a menace to the home side’s defence as he connected with second-half substitute Sibusiso Magada, who turned the ball into the net to hand the Buccaneers their third goal of the afternoon deep in injury time.
That was enough to secure all available points for Pirates who clung on to complete a clean sheet, in the processclinching their fifth win of the season.
Pirates Reserves XI: Monyepao, Mbokazi, Magugwana, Mokone, Sibiya, Selepe (Maitsile 63’), Chibwe, Masemola (Mnguni 82’), Nkota, Mazibuko (Magadla 63’), Maphumulo (Arends 82’)
