Johannesburg – A blunder-prone 10-man Orlando Pirates were held to a 2-2 draw by Stellenbosch FC in their opening DStv Premiership match marked by the sending off of Bucs defender Ntsikelelo Nyauza at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates coach Mandla Ncikaizi gave Happy Jele, Gabadinho Mhango and debutants Goodman Mosele and Bandile Shandu starting berths in the Bucs side.
Stellenbosch were looking for a positive start in the league as Steve Barker’s men escaped relegation last season.
Bucs had a scary start as the visitors were first on the scoresheet when a mix-up in the Pirates defence allowed striker Waseem Isaacs to intercept a floating ball, only for the advancing defender Thulani Hlatshwayo to deflect the ball, beating his keeper Richard Ofori as early as the second minute of the proceedings.
Bucs pulled one back 16 minutes after conceding when Namibian forward Deon Hotto unleashed a powerful shot 30 metres from outside the box to open his scoring tally for the new season. Hotto was Pirates’ leading scorer with four goals last season.
So magnificent was Hotto’s strike, it left Stellies keeper Lee Langeveldt wondering what missile had gone past him as he was left sprawled on the turf.
From then on, it was game on as Hotto, Kabelo Dlamini and Goodman Mosele started pushing forward with their tails up, spurred on by the equaliser, giving Langeveldt no respite as the last man in Stellenbosch’s last line of defence.
The first half was marked by dramatic scenes when Bucs defender Nyauza elbowed and trampled on Ashley du Preez during one of their first half tussles.
The referee did not hesitate showing veteran Nyauza red, thus giving him his marching orders and an early shower. Cautioning on side other side went to forward Leandro
Mandieta for back-talking and arguing with the referee.
In the second stanza, Stellies were starting to allow Pirates too much space to manoeuvre, building their attacks from the back, Bucs debutant Mosele put Pirates in the lead for the first time when he received a low pass but he manage to head it into the net past the bemused Langeveldt in the 49th minutes.
Another debutant, Judas Moseamedi, who has recently joined the Cape-side from Maritzburg in a swap deal with Lelethu Skelem, equalised with a classy goal, also a header in the 55th minute, a sign he has arriedl in the winelands.
Former Wits captain Hlatshwayo had a nightmarish of a game as both goals came as a result of his blunders and not being alert enough to thwart oncoming danger at crucial moments.
Going into this encounter, the Buccaneers had not lost an opening match over the past five seasons.
Other PSL results
Arrows 2, Maritzburg 1; Sekhukhune 0, Chippa 1
Pirates 2, Stellenbosch 2.
Friday: Sundowns 1, AmaZulu 0.
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