Chiefs complete league double against Pirates

Kaizer Chiefs have completed a league double against their rivals Orlando Pirates this season with their 2-1 DStv Premiership win at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Reeve Frosler and Eric Mathoho scored for Amakhosi while Kwame Prepah got the only goal for the Buccaneers.

This instalment of the Soweto derby was played under gloomy weather conditions and it was preceded by hundreds of fans protesting outside the venue demanding the reopening of stadiums.

Chiefs also defeated Pirates 2-1 when the two teams met in November last year.

Coming from a draw against Cape Town City on Wednesday, Pirates made two changes to their starting line-up.

Ben Motshwari and Thembinkosi Lorch got the nod ahead of Goodman Mosele and Fortune Makaringe.

The Glamour Boys made three changes to the team that claimed their first victory of the year against Baroka last weekend.

Baxter started the game with Njanbulo Ngcobo at right-back ahead of Austin Dube while Lebogang Manyama replaced Kearyn Baccus in the middle of the park as skipper Bernard Parker came in for suspended Samir Nurković.

The clash started with Pirates dominating the play, taking the game to Amakhosi but the Sea Robbers were not really dangerous or troubling defence when they got into the final third.

The Buccaneers failed to capitalise on a number of mistakes committed by Chiefs players such as Mathoho and others at the back.

Baxter’s men almost broke the deadlock after 16 minutes of play when they arrived late for a good Parker cross.

Amakhosi scored two minutes later when Frosler launched a missile shot from outside the box to beat Pirates goal minder Siyabonga Mpontshane.

Pirates had a chance to quickly bounce back through Prepah but he missed a glaring opportunity from Lorch’s cross.

Kabelo Dlamini also had a chance to pull one back for the Bucs when he had a one-on-one opportunity with Chiefs keeper Brandon Petersen but the attacker sent his shot wide.

With three minutes to the break, Chiefs suffered a setback when Khama Billiat, who was heavily involved in setting up Frosler’s goal, was substituted with what looked like a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Baccus.

Both sides started the second half with changes as Pirates brought in Abel Mabaso for Motshwari while Leonardo Castro came in for Manyama.

However, Castro lasted only 15 minutes on the pitch as he went out with what looked like a hamstring injury as well. He was replaced by Kgaogelo Sekgota.

Pirates continued with their improved attacks and were finally rewarded when Prepah scored nine minutes into the second half from a great counter attack by Lorch and Thabang Monare.

Pirates continued with their dominance over Chiefs but they couldn’t find the back of the net.

But Mathoho stole the victory for Chiefs, as he scored with a beautiful header from a Keagan Dolly corner.

Petersen was the real hero for Chiefs as he made two crucial saves late in the match to deny Pirates any chance to draw or win the match.

The victory lifted Chiefs to the second spot on the log table.