Newly promoted Absa Premiership outfit Bay United notched the most famous victory in their history when they defeated glamour club Orlando Pirates 2-0 in a pulsating clash played in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
United crowned their first-ever home Premiership fixture with a remarkable win — their first in the PSL — against one of the sides that were tipped in the off-season as potential Premiership champions.
Bucs have failed to score a goal in over 400 competitive minutes, and on this showing new coach Ruud Krol has a lot of work to do if he is to turn things around and hang on to his job.
United have four points from three fixtures while Bucs have one point from the same number of games played.
United striker Adebayo Abeyomi sent the home fans into raptures when he slammed home the first goal in the 49th minute. Midfielder Luntu Mazana added a brilliant long-range second goal in injury time to completely embarrass Pirates.
The home side enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening half but failed to take advantage of the strong wind behind them. Bucs keeper Moeneeb Josephs was tested only once in the opening 45 minutes when the Bafana Bafana keeper did well to stop Jimmy Zakazaka from opening his account in the 10th minute.
Despite playing into the wind, Bucs always looked the more dangerous side going forward and gave the United defence a few nervous moments.
Pirates Cape Verde striker Adriano Pires showed glimpses of promise. He forced Bay United keeper Arthur Bartman to produce a good save from his 16th-minute shot. Two minutes later Buccaneers central defender Benson Mhlongo headed a Joseph Makhanya corner over the United crossbar.
United’s experienced midfielder, Gareth Ncaca, came close with a swirling free kick that flew over the crossbar on 27 minutes.
But it was the post that saved United on the half-hour mark when Makhanya crashed his shot off the woodwork after collecting a clever pass from the hard-working Pires.
The bumpy pitch did not help the flow of the game in a hard-fought but entertaining first 45 minutes.
But it was Bay who took the wind out of Pirates’ sails when Abeyomi capitalised on Bucs’ suspect defending to beat the Pirates skipper, Lehlohonono Seema, inside the penalty box and leave Josephs flat-footed with a well-taken shot to make it 1-0.
Bucs playmaker Teko Modise, who had a quiet game, hit a free kick over the United crossbar in the 55th minute and two minutes later he was in referee Daniel Bennett’s black book when he was shown a yellow card for diving inside the United penalty area.
Bucs had United under pressure but failed to get the equaliser thanks to poor finishing and good solid defending from the home side.
Bucs substitute Rudzani Ramudzuli chipped his shot over the crossbar from close range in the 72nd minute.
Then, with time running, out Mazana struck with his wonder goal to well and truly sink Pirates in injury time.
Meanwhile, in another game on Sunday, AmaZulu got their first Absa Premiership win of the season at the expense of high-flying neighbours Thanda Royal Zulu. AmaZulu won 1-0. — Sapa