Tshegofatso Mabasa scored a hat-trick as Orlando Pirates hammered Golden Arrows 7-1 in the DStv Premiership at Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.
Relebohile Mofokeng, Kabelo Dlamini, Karim Kimvuidi and Sandile Mthethwa were also on the score-sheet for the home side while Lungelo Nguse scored the consolation for Arrows.
The match was evenly balanced in the feeling-out process with action from end to end.
In the 9th minute, Sipho Chaine kept out Kagiso Malinga’s attempt from close range after the forward managed to get behind Pirates’ back line.
Arrows were made to rue the missed opportunity when Pirates went straight up and broke the deadlock. Tshegofatso Mabasa rattled the net, picking up the pieces after Sifiso Mlungwana failed to parry Makhehlene Makhaula’s vicious shot away.
In a space of just two minutes, Relebohile Mofokeng doubled Pirates’ lead following a chip pass from Patrick Maswanganyi.
Mlungwana made a couple of saves as Ezimnyama Ngenkani kept on creating more goal-scoring opportunities.
Moments later, Sibiya, who played his 200th match for Arrows, missed a massive opportunity that could have brought Abafana Bes’thende back into the game. However, the club’s captain skied the ball over the bar.
In the half-hour mark, Chaine denied Malinga for the second time after the left-footer was set up by Sibiya in the box.
One minute later, Kabelo Dlamini slotted home a ball he exchanged with the youngster Mofokeng as Arrows defence continued to struggle with the home side’s quick forward movements.
MABASA MISSING PENALTY AHEAD OF HALF-TIME
In the first half’s stoppage time, Mabasa had an opportunity to bag a brace from the spot after Mlungwana brought Maswanganyi down in the box. However, the 26-year-old shot-stopper paid for his sin by saving the spot-kick before the final whistle.
The home side opened the second stanza of the match with a fourth goal as Mabasa bagged a brace with a tap-in from Thabiso Lebitso’s cross.
The Sea Robbers had a lot of exciting moments in the final third looking to exploit the away side’s poor defence even more.
Riveiro made several changes including taking off the goalkeeper Chaine for Siyabonga Mpontshane. He also brought on Sandile Mthethwa, Innocent Maela, and Ndabayithethwa Ndlovu taking out Thapelo Xoki, Deon Hotto and Makhaula.
In the last 15 minutes of the match, the spectators witnessed three goals in a space of three minutes. Mthethwa and Mabasa scored for Pirates in the 76th and 79th minutes respectively while Lungelo Nguse rattled in a consolation for the KZN side.
Just before the referee blew the whistle after 90 minutes, Karim Kimvuidi who had come on from the bench scored his second league goal this season.
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