Pirates come from behind to beat SuperSport
Orlando Pirates came from behind to defeat SuperSport United 2-1 in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership clash at Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.
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Tshegofatso Mabasa rose off the bench to score the match winner with three minutes of regulation time remaining as the Buccaneers move to the summit of the league standings.
Zakhele Lepasa levelled matters after Teboho Mokoena's opener with Pirates now unbeaten in seven league matches stretching back to last season. SuperSport drop down to sixth after suffering their second defeat of the campaign.
SuperSport threatened early and broke the deadlock in the sixth minute. Iqraam Rayners' miscued effort from the edge of the area fell favourably into Mokeona's path and having brought the ball under his control, he toe-poked it home past Richard Ofori to hand the visitors the perfect start.
Terrence Dzvukamanja was introduced for Deon Hotto at the start of the second-half as Pirates went in search of the equaliser, but it would be Lepasa to produce the desired result in front of goal.
The former TS Galaxy forward was handed a chance to draw his team level in the 51st minute after being hacked down by Siyabonga Nhlapo inside the area. Lepasa dusted himself off and fired a low penalty past the outstretched Ronwen Williams in the Matsatsantsa goal.
Both teams pushed forward in the dying moments of the game in search of all three points and Mabasa would prove to be the difference, firing home six minutes after coming on as a substitute.
A moment of miscommunication between Williams and Luke Fleurs allowed Innocent Maela to get a decisive touch into Mabasa's path with the striker left the easy task of passing the ball into an empty net.
Orlando Pirates (0) 2 (Lepasa 51' Mabasa 87')
SuperSport United (1) 1 (Mokoena 6')
Orlando Pirates: Ofori; Maela, Nyauza, Hlatshwayo, Jooste, Motshwari, Monare (Zungu 46'), Makaringe (Mntambo 76'), Hotto (Dzvukamanja 46'), Pule (Makgaka 61'), Lepasa (Mabasa 81').
SuperSport United: Williams; Bhasera, Kekana, Fleurs, Nhlapo, Mokoena, Ndhondhi (Webber 60'), Mbule, Rayners (Lungu 60'), Rusike (Gabuza 79'), Grobler.