Orlando Pirates registered a second win in their European pre-season tour, beating Spanish Segunda Division side Las Palmas 1-0 at Marbella Football Center on Thursday.
The result also means it’s the first time Pirates kept a clean sheet on the tour. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou fielded a young side for this clash captained by Cemran Dansin.
Pirates enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and created more scoring opportunities, especially in the first half. The visitors threatened to score inside the opening five minutes through Yanela Mbuthuma but his effort was an easy save for the goalkeeper.
Pirates survived scares from Manuel Fuster whose shot went wide in the 10th minute and they almost paid dearly when Sbangani Zulu played the ball back to his keeper Siyabonga Dladla in the 21st minute. Dladla played the ball to the feet of Elias Romero but the latter missed the target.
The last 10 minutes of the period belonged to the Buccaneers with Neo Rapoo combining with Ghampani Lungu only for the Zambia to hit the side of the net. Soon after, Mpho Padime set-up Dansin but the Spanish side goalie blocked the short with his feet.
There was a golden opportunity for the Betway Premiership champions to take the lead in injury time of the half after Dansin combined with Daniel Msendami but the Zimbabwean was denied by the cross bar leaving the game locked at 0-0 at the break.
Andre De Jong came on for Matome Mmolai at the start of the second stanza. There wasn’t as many goal scoring opportunities by either side in the opening minutes of the second stanza. A real chance came for Pirates three minutes after the hour mark through Boitumelo Radiopane who was stopped in his tracks by the Palmas defense in the box. Msendami also came close to scoring a minute later but missed the target with only the keeper to beat.
While Las Palmas hit the post and the bar in the last 10 minutes, it was second-half substitute Radiopane who scored the only goal of the match after spotting the Las Palmas keeper of his bench.
Pirates will wrap up their tour against Saudi Pro League side Neom SC on Friday.
Pirates Starting XI: Dladla, Chabatsane, Zulu, Rapoo, Lungu, Mthiyane, Dansin, Mmolai, Msendami, Padime, Mbuthuma
Subs: Monyepao, Xoki, Derbyshire, Mariko, De Jong, Masilela, Radiopane