Pirates move to PSL summit with fourth win on the trot

There's an extremely long way to go, but Orlando Pirates are making it difficult not to be picked, once again, as a team that could challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the Betway Premiership title.

The Buccaneers registered their fourth league victory on the trot at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday, beating SuperSport United 2-0 to move to move three points clear at the top of the table.

Evidence Makgopa opened the scoring in the second minute and Namibian international Deon Hotto scored a beauty on the stroke off full-time to give the Buccaneers a deserved victory. 

Of course, Sundowns, the seven-time successive champions, can reclaim top spot if they beat Royal AM in Pretoria on Wednesday.

The only concern Pirates coach Jose Riveiro will have about his team is the amount of chances they wasted soon after Makgopa had given them an early lead in this fast-paced game. 

All Pirates' forwards, including Mohau Nkota, who was given a rare start, had plenty of chances to double their score in the first half but wasted them.

Pleasing for the Spaniard will be the that Makgopa, with his third league goal this season, is regaining the form that saw him being Bafana Bafana's reliable striker at this year's Africa Cup of Nations.

With five goals in 10 appearances in all competitions this season, surely Makgopa will now feel he deserves a return to Hugo Broos's national side when they tackle Uganda and South Sudan in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month?

Pirates continued being the dominant side in the second half, with Gavin Hunt's team failing to redeem themselves after a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Knockout Cup at the weekend.

Relebohile Mofokeng beat goalkeeper Ricardo Goss and the teenager looked to double Pirates' score only to be denied by Thulani Hlatshwayo, who cleared the young Bucs attacker's strike off the line with less than five minutes remaining on the clock. 

Bucs, who also exited the Carling with a shock 3-2 defeat to PSL rookies Magesi, showed plenty of intent to stay in the league race ahead of another home match against AmaZulu on Friday.

This was the second time Pirates beat SuperSport this season after they also eliminated them 3-1 in the first round of the MTN8 in early August. 

Riveiro will be pleased that the same defence that let the team down against Magesi did well against SuperSport, with Thabiso Sesane, who scored an own and conceded a penalty in the cup game, providing a beautiful assist for Makgopa's early goal.

The game also saw the return of Thalente Mbatha to Bucs' starting XI after missing the Saturday's cup clash because of injury. The former SuperSport player was among the Pirates players who were unlucky not to score in a first half in which they showed no respect to the visitors. 

With three losses in five matches, Hunt will go to his club's next league game — a rematch against Chiefs in Polokwane on Saturday — concerned about his team's sharpness as they've only managed to score once in the league this season.

Riveiro will not be pleased with how his charges wasted chance after chance and only confirmed winning this match with Hotto's super strike right at the death. But having conceded one goal against eight that they've scored, there's no dispute Pirates are early challengers for the league title.