Pirates end year with solid win
Oupa Manyisa was Orlando Pirates' hero yesterday, scoring a brace in their 3-1 win over Golden Arrows in the PSL.
ON TARGET. Oupa Manyisa of Pirates scored a brace in his team’s 3-1 win over Arrows in the Absa Premiership yesterday. Picture: Backpagepix
Manyisa profited from Happy Jele’s cross for his first goal midway through the first half.
Though, this was not a world-class encounter at Orlando Stadium, the win for Pirates is important given their position on the table.
They are in the bottom half and as this was their third successive win in a week in the Absa Premiership, it does show that they can climb up the table.
A week ago, Pirates beat Platinum Stars 3-0 and, on Thursday, they beat Tuks 1-0 via a Manyisa strike.
Manyisa’s two goals yesterday were his fourth in three games and the second at the Soweto venue came at the death via a fine strike inside the box.
The midfield dynamo was one of the scorers in Monday’s game before also scoring against Tuks and Arrows.
In truth, Pirates never had easy passage against the Durban side as the coastal men kept piling on the pressure.
Right-back Jele handed them the lead in the 13th minute after a rebound from visiting goalkeeper Ryan Harrison, who failed to deal with a Lucky Lekgwathi header.
Two minutes later, Gift Sithole equalised for Arrows with a glancing header from a corner.
While this was Pirates’ third successive win, for Arrows it was their seventh straight loss.
Coach Mark Harrison, father of the goalkeeper, was brought in place of the departed Manqoba Mnqithi but the Brit has not yet changed the club’s fortunes.
On Thursday night, they lost 1-0 to Kaizer Chiefs at home.
Pirates, in their last game of the year, may feel hard done by as their current form may be affected by the festive break.
For Arrows, the break may be what they need to come back with a new strategy to move them away from the bottom of PSL table.
