Orlando Pirates extend advantage over Mamelodi Sundowns

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Leaders Orlando Pirates beat lowly Marumo Gallants 3-0 in Soweto on Saturday to take a six-point lead over title-holders Mamelodi Sundowns midway through the PSL season.

The Buccaneers, who last won the championship in 2012, needed only four minutes to take the lead through Yanela Mbuthuma. Patrick Maswanganyi added a second before half-time.

South African international Relebohile Mofokeng completed the rout with five minutes of regular time remaining in front of a 26,000 crowd.

His goal was the best of the three. He took the ball across the edge of the box, then lifted it over 40-year-old Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi into the roof of the net.

After losing their first two league matches, including a defeat away to Marumo, Pirates are unbeaten in 14 under Morocco-born former Fulham defender Abdeslam Ouaddou.

Pirates have 38 points and Sundowns 32, with a game in hand, ahead of a top-of-the-table showdown on Wednesday in Johannesburg.

The demand for tickets has been so great that Pirates have switched the fixture from their 38,000-seat stadium in Soweto to the 90,000-capacity Soccer City ground 10 kilometres away.

Sundowns had a Premiership bye this weekend as they were playing in the CAF Champions League. They beat Mouloudia Alger of Algeria 2-0 in Pretoria on Saturday to qualify for the quarter-finals.

After winning just one of 15 league matches since the season kicked off last August, Chippa United beat Richards Bay 3-0 in East London to complete a hat-trick of victories.

AFRICA PICKS: Pirates, Polokwane back in action – PSL preview

–AFP

Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images

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Lukhanyo Gqokoma