Dzvukamanja and Pule strike late to hand Pirates much-needed victory against Arrows

Zimbabwean striker Terrence Dzvukamanja and Vincent Pule gave Orlando Pirates a last-gasp 3-1 victory over Golden Arrows in a DStv Premiership match played at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Arrows looked to have earned a point at least in this match when their substitute Velemseni Ndwandwe cancelled Bucs’ first half goal with a 68th minute strike, but two goals in referee’s optional time by Dvzukamanja and Pule gave the Soweto giants their first league victory after three successive defeats. 

The win lifted Pirates to fifth spot on the Premiership log on 22 points, still 18 behind runaway log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. 

Saleng gave Pirates the lead when he tapped home Bandile Shandu’s well-weighted cross down the right flank in the 28th minute of a match riddled with amateurish mistakes from both sides, especially in its first 20 minutes.

It was Saleng’s third league goal of the 2022-2023 season, which was also his third against Arrows as he got a brace against the same opponents in a corresponding fixture late last year in Durban. 

Bucs’ previous three league matches ended in defeat against their Soweto arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs (1-0), longtime leaders Mamelodi Sundowns (2-0) and Cape Town City (2-1). 

Arrows could have taken the lead inside the first minute of this encounter had their striker Knox Mutizwa punished Thabang Monare for a poor back pass to the Pirates’ defence.

The Zimbabwean striker had plenty of time to pick his strike partner Pule Mmodi who was better positioned but chose to take the chance himself, giving Sipho Chaine, in Pirates’ goals, an easy chance to parry the ball over the bar.

In general, though, this match was a poor advertisement for South African professional football with both teams failing to string as many passes together going forward. It was in one of those rare successful moves that Bucs took the lead, with Shandu lifting his head up to find Saleng with an incisive cross.

Saleng beat the Arrows keeper Sifiso Mlungwana with a tap in from the near post.

The win brings much relief to Pirates coach Jose Riveiro who felt his team were unlucky to lose their last two matches against Sundowns and City.   

Meanwhile, in the other early kickoff on Saturday, Richards Bay beat Marumo Gallants 2-0 through late goals by Sanele Barns and Tshepo Mabua at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

With this win, rookies Richards Bay have leapfrogged SuperSport United to second spot on the DStv Premiership standings with a two point advantage.

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