Orlando Pirates down Kaizer Chiefs in five-goal derby thriller

So opportune was this Soweto derby that even president Cyril Ramaphosa couldn't resist to steal time from his busy schedule to join close to 100,000 people who witnessed this five-goal thriller which saw Orlando Pirates completing a rare double over their rivals Kaizer Chiefs.  

Ashley du Preez, the Chiefs striker and his Orlando Pirates counterpart Monnapule Saleng, scored a brace each - goals that took a shine off the president's presence.  

For Ramaphosa this was the perfect moment to show his face and pretend he follows these Soweto giants. In response these sides did their best not to embarrass SA's no. citizen as they scored three goals in the first half of this DStv Premiership clash before adding two in the final stanza. 

Pity that Pirates, the winners of this match, may not come close to finding a spot in next season's Caf Champions League if they return to their inconsistent ways.  

Pirates came to this match having collected just five points from their last five while Chiefs were in a better run as they had fetched nine points from a possible 15 in their last five. 

The game started slowly but Chiefs managed to take one of their first chances when two-goal hero Du Preez was put through by Mduduzi Mdantsane and he duly punished Pirates in the 6th minute.  

Chiefs struggled to control the match after taking this lead as Pirates, spearheaded by man-of-the-match Patrick Maswanganyi, began to find as many holes in their defence. 

It was Maswanganyi who played a huge role in Pirates' equalizer in the 24th minute, stealing Yusuf Maart's poor pass to defender Zitha Kwinika and fed the ball to Saleng who cut inside before unleashing a low powerful shot to beat Bruce Bvuma in Chiefs' goals.  

Pirates were guilty of yet again losing concentration after cancelling Chiefs' lead and their defence was found wanting when Pule Mmodi managed to find Du Preez with a good pass and the Chiefs' striker completed his brace two minutes before the interval.  

Both coaches made a couple of surprise changes in their starting XI. But it was Pirates' Jose Riveiro whose decision to give new signing Thabiso Lebitso his first taste of this derby seem to backfire within the first 10 minutes. The former Chippa United player was caught napping in Du Preez's first goal. 

Lebitso, however, did well to redeem himself when his thunderbolt, taken just outside the area, gave the Buccaneers a deserved equaliser after they had started the second half better than Chiefs.  

Mdantsane was a surprise inclusion in Cavin Johnson's starting team and repaid his coach with a delightful assist in Du Preez's opener. But Mdantsane disappered after this affort, part of the reason Pierates gained control of the match in the second half. 

Saleng, another surprise starter in Reviero's line-up, completed his brace when he again linked up with Maswanganyi before looping the Pirates' winner over the advancing Bvuma in the 77th minute.  

These teams came to this match separated by one point but this win gives Pirates some reprieve as it temporarily moved them to second spot with 33 points from 20 matches.  

Chiefs' supporters seem to spoil the party in the closing stages of this game as they pelted their bench with a few missiles as they realised their club's chances to at least finish second might have all but gone with this defeat. 

This result gives Stellenbosch FC, Cape Town City and SuperSport United a challenge to win their weekend matches if they want to remain with a chance to continue fighting for the second Champions League spot behind runaway log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns – the team galloping to a record seventh straight league title.   

That Chiefs have Stellies, City, SuperSport and Sundowns in their remaining fixtures will make their fight for second or third spot tougher. Pirates too have SuperSport and City in their remaining fixtures and only victories in those matches, and the other eight, will see them finish second behind Sundowns as they did last season.  

Scorers:

Pirates - Monnapule Saleng (24m, 67m), Thabiso Lebitso (57m) 

Chiefs - Ashley du Preez (6m, 43m)