Sy Lerman
Johannesburg, South Africa
Black Leopards slumped to a defeat against Orlando Pirates for the second time in three days as a result of elementary defensive blunders at Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
And while the acquisition of the resultant six Premier Soccer League points following a second successive 2-0 victory will seem like manna from heaven for the ailing Pirates, it would be folly to read too much into the successes against the toothless, error-infested and relegation-threatened Leopards.
Indeed in steamy, oppressive conditions it was Leopards who dominated the game territorially and controlled the mid-field for much of the 90 minutes — only to fall down badly through poor finishing and defending.
The Buccaneers opened the score in the 34th minute through veteran former Jomo Cosmos and SuperSport United striker Tico-Tico Bucuane, who kept a cool head and calmly picked his spot in the corner of the net while three Leopards defenders panicked and floundered around him.
It was similar scenario to that at Ellis Park on Wednesday night when Leopards conspired to give Pirates two gift goals in a 2-0 defeat.
For all this, the lingering suspicion remained until the 86th minute that Leopards could salvage a point with their domination of possession, but Pirates banished all thought of a home-team comeback via an incisive counter-attack that culminated in striker Rudzani Ramudzuli shooting powerfully into the net following the most professional and profound movement of the match.
Ramudzuli, only recently signed by Pirates from Leopards, sunk to his knees after scoring — and then, as if confirmation was needed to demonstrate his switch in loyalties, he gave the skull-and-cross-bones salute to Buccaneers’ supporters, who, in turn, appeared more relieved than jubilant by the outcome of the tepid proceedings. — Sapa