Orlando Pirates 2-0 Amazulu: Bucs Finally Break Goal Duck

Posted Thursday, February 11, 2010 by Goal.com

After five consecutive games without a win, Orlando Pirates were able to find a 2-0 victory against a stubborn AmaZulu at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night.

Second half goals from Lucky Lekgwathi and Gert Schalkwyk handed the Buccaneers the victory in a game where they squandered numerous chance in front of goal.

The first 45 minutes saw AmaZulu stand firm and stubborn in defence as they thwarted the Pirates attacks time and again. What didn’t help the Buccaneers cause, however, was their poor finishing.

Pirates’ first real chance of the game came in the seventh minute when Dikgang Mabalane used his pace and trickery to attack down the left flank before cutting the ball back to an unmarked Isaac Chansa on the edge of the 18 yard box. Chansa, however, hurried his shot and hit it with no power, allowing the Usuthu keeper to make a comfortable save.

The Buccaneers should definitely have gone in front in the 23rd minute when a quick counter attack and a beautiful through ball saw Thulasizwe Mbuyane get behind the AmaZulu defence.

The Pirates player, however, opted to pass the ball across the face of goal, instead of going for a shot, where he tried to find an unmarked Bennett Chenene who was at full stretch to try and meet the pass. Unfortunately for his side he was an inch to short as the ball whistled past him.

A real thorn in the side of the AmaZulu defence was certainly Chansa, who proved difficult again in the 26th minute as he dribbled his way into the box, beating three defenders before he let loose with his right boot. Again his shooting was not at its best as he fired it straight at the keeper.

The only real chance Usuthu had in the first half came a minute before the break as a result of a mistake made at the back by the Buccaneers. Rooi Mahamutsa sprayed a pass across the face of goal that found Brad Ritson, who then only had the keeper to beat, but he skied his shot high over the crossbar.

Pirates came out the more determined side in the second half, and they didn’t have to wait to long before they found a goal. In the 61st minute a long throw-in came into the AmaZulu box and a goalmouth scramble followed. The ball fell to Lucky Lekgwathi who expertly fired home a powerful volley from 12 yards out, 1-0.

From there on out it was all Pirates and it was only inevitable they would find a second goal. That strike came courtesy of Gert Schalkwyk in the 80th minute when he met the end of an inch perfect cross from Mbuyane.

The game ended 2-0 and the win took the Buccaneers up to fourth place on the log only two points behind their arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs.