MONDAY, 11.00AM:
ORLANDO Pirates showed their class yesterday when they fought from behind to win 2-1 against Zimbabwean champion side Caps United in the second round of the African Champions’ League at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
Underdogs United came out in fighting form and grabbed immediate control with a 10th minute goal by Zim national striker Stewart Murisa. The Zimbabweans didn’t let up after this score, keeping on top of the match and putting constant pressure on the visitors. Only Pirates’ strong defence kept the attack at bay, before the Buccaneers began to turn things round after the first half-hour.
But United’s defence was up to the challenge, absorbing Pirates’ counter-attecks for the remainder of the half. Then, early in the second half Pirates scored the equaliser after sub Joseph Ngake took a long ball from Dumisani Ngobe and crossed it to the awaiting Gerald Stober, who pipped the ball into the far left corner of the net with a glancing header.
Then Pirates really put the pressure on, badgering the Zimbabweans with four strikers up front, leaving only two defenders. Bucs needn’t have tried so hard — the Zimbabweans gave them the victory on a plate when defender Dumisani Mpofu scored an own goal.
Meanwhile, in Harare on Saturday Jomo Cosmos were defeated 2-1 by Zimbabwe Dynamos in their clash in the first leg of the second round of the CAF Cup Winners’ Cup. In a thrilling encounter, Cosmos leapt into the lead with a goal in the first two minutes. They then squandered the chance by letting two goals through in the first half. Despite dominating for most of the second half, they were unable to find the equaliser.
However, despite his team’s loss, coach Jomo Sono was not unhappy: “We lost the match in the first half, but we showed more character in the second half. I’m sure we can finish them off back in Johannesburg in two weeks’ time.”