ORLANDO Pirates came from three goals down to earn a 3-3 draw against Maritzburg United in a pulsating game played at a rain-drenched Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday night.
Mondli Cele, Evans Rusike and Brian Onyango put Ernst Middendorp’s men 3-0 up inside 36 minutes. But Pirates were to score in the first half through Thabo Rakhale before Thabo Matlaba and Kermit Erasmus netted in the second stanza to level matters.
The Team of Choice were off to the perfect start when Rusike showed excellent attacking intent as he skinned Tshepo Gumede before pulling the ball back across goal where his inch-perfect pass located Cele, who was clinical with his shot from 12m out.
While United went on to have a couple more promising moments in attack, Pirates began to tighten their grip on proceedings as they dominated possession, attacking with pace although without much of an end- product.
Halfway through the opening stanza, a powerful, swerving strike from all of 35m out from Matlaba stung the hands of Tawfeeq Salie as he did just enough to parry for a corner.
Then from a blistering counterattack on 32 minutes, Rusike picked up the ball near the halfway line before playing a one-two with the impressive Deolin Mekoa, racing into the box for the return ball while showing great composure to hold off a defender and chip over oncoming goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo.
l Sadly, Maritzburg United’s Cele, 27, scorer of the opening goal in the 3-3 draw with Pirates, died in a motor accident in Alexandra Park, Pietermaritzburg early yesterday morning.
One other person reportedly also died in the accident. It is believed the vehicle in which Cele was travelling veered off the road and into the Duzi River. — SuperSport
Maritzburg goal-scorer Cele dies after game
Mondli Cele, Evans Rusike and Brian Onyango put Ernst Middendorp’s men 3-0 up inside 36 minutes. But Pirates were to score in the first half through Thabo Rakhale before Thabo Matlaba and Kermit Erasmus netted in the second stanza to level matters.
The Team of Choice were off to the perfect start when Rusike showed excellent attacking intent as he skinned Tshepo Gumede before pulling the ball back across goal where his inch-perfect pass located Cele, who was clinical with his shot from 12m out.
While United went on to have a couple more promising moments in attack, Pirates began to tighten their grip on proceedings as they dominated possession, attacking with pace although without much of an end- product.
Halfway through the opening stanza, a powerful, swerving strike from all of 35m out from Matlaba stung the hands of Tawfeeq Salie as he did just enough to parry for a corner.
Then from a blistering counterattack on 32 minutes, Rusike picked up the ball near the halfway line before playing a one-two with the impressive Deolin Mekoa, racing into the box for the return ball while showing great composure to hold off a defender and chip over oncoming goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo.
l Sadly, Maritzburg United’s Cele, 27, scorer of the opening goal in the 3-3 draw with Pirates, died in a motor accident in Alexandra Park, Pietermaritzburg early yesterday morning.
One other person reportedly also died in the accident. It is believed the vehicle in which Cele was travelling veered off the road and into the Duzi River. — SuperSport
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