By Kopano Dibakwane
Orlando Pirates fought against all odds to beat Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 in a Soweto derby that was characterised by rough tackles and questionable decisions by the referee(Jelly Chavani), at a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday 9 March.
Chiefs registered their first goal in the 5th minute when striker Ashley Dupreez manipulated an off-side trap and caught the Pirates defence napping.
Pirates super striker Monnapule Saleng equalised in the 23rd minute from a long range shot outside the box. Dupreez responded with another goal in the 43rd minute and secured his brace.
The match went into the halftime break with a 2-1 lead by Chiefs. The celebration by Amakhosi was short lived when Thabiso Lebitso fired a long range shot to equalise for Pirates in the 56th minute.
Saleng scored the winning goal for Pirates in the 67th minute. Chiefs coach, Cavin Johnson, made changes in the dying minutes of the match but it was clearly too late.
Coach Johnson said that his players showed character in the first half but later allowed Pirates enough space to equalise and win.
