Pirates close to matching PSL winning-margin record

Orlando Pirates’ one-sided win over Lamontville Golden Arrows in Soweto on Saturday came within one goal of the matching the biggest winning margin for a league match since the launch of Premier Soccer League in 1996.

But it was still way off the record winning margin for cup and league games in the long history of the professional game in South Africa.

The Buccaneers, who had dropped points in their previous two DStv Premiership outings and slipped from second to fourth place in the standings, were 3-0 ahead at halftime, five up with 15 minutes left and, despite conceding one to Arrows in the 77th minute, added two more goals for good measure in the closing stages.

It allowed Tshegofatso Mabasa to score a hat-trick as he continues to deputise for the injured Evidence Makgopa as Pirates’ lead attacker.

The record winning margin in a league match in the PSL era is seven goals, achieved three times previously.

The record is the 8-1 win that SuperSport United recorded against already relegated Zulu Royals on the final day of the 2003-04 season as defender Ricardo Katza got among the goals with a brace.

Matsatsantsa, with Pitso Mosimane as coach, had scored four goals up to the 80th minute, but then added another four in the next 10 as Royals capitulated.

SuperSport also won by seven goals when they thumped Maritzburg United 7-0 in the 2011-12 campaign – all the goals coming from separate scorers, including Kermit Erasmus and Tebogo Langerman.

Manning Rangers thrashed Hellenic 7-0 on the opening day of the 2001-02 campaign with Ishmael Maluleke grabbing two. It was the first game in charge for new Rangers coach Clive Barker after the club had six coaches through the revolving door the season before.

SUNDOWNS TAKE THE CAKE

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