Orlando Pirates overcome slow start to thump Chippa United and go top

[p]Here are the talking points from the match.[/p][p][b]Another for Lungu[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Pirates[/a] had toiled through the first hour of the game but finally got their goal through Zambian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ghampani-lungu/QqjurSEP/"]Ghampani Lungu[/a], though [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chippa-utd/AiZa0UPS/"]Chippa[/a] goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nwabili-stanley/f7Sr6Oxg/"]Stanley Nwabali[/a] should have done better.[/p][p]Lungu crashed a powerful shot at the goalkeeper’s near post and the Nigeria international let it burst through his hands. He should have pushed it to safety.[/p][p]Pirates won’t care, though, and Lungu had a second important goal in as many weeks, having scored a stunner in their MTN8 win against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/durban-city/jVI6SFig/"]Durban City[/a] last weekend.[/p][p]It is a great start to life at Pirates for the 27-year-old, who made the move from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/siwelele/x6s5gTDd/"]Siwelele[/a] ahead of the new campaign and looks an astute buy.[/p][p]If you include the end of last season, Lungu has now scored seven goals in his last eight games, a run that includes a hat-trick against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Mamelodi Sundowns[/a].[/p][image alt="Match statistics" id="647cff66-e42b-41d8-b407-b8734bce7299" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="cfc1aeaa-3a74-4e76-930a-689e45bfe029" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b]One[/b] [b]becomes two[/b][/p][p]Pirates made it 2-0 within four minutes of their opener as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/seema-lebone/44qUg6X4/"]Lebome Seema[/a] headed in from a corner.[/p][p]Seema rose highest at the back post to head the ball across goal and into the net, with Nwabali rooted to the spot.[/p][p]It was a goal that killed the game as a contest and ensured a comfortable end to the match for Pirates.[/p][p]Last season’s PSL Defender of the Season, Seema did not score any goals in his three seasons in the first team at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ts-galaxy/KUDSx8jo/"]TS Galaxy[/a], but got two for Pirates last term against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orbit-college/xUvPtdff/"]Orbit College[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/richards-bay/noDZhkBM/"]Richards Bay[/a].[/p][p]It was, therefore, a third career goal for the 23-year-old and a well-taken one too.[/p][image alt="Orlando Pirates player ratings" id="16a84625-71e9-4901-87cc-2ed64ce84426" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="87480cae-bcb3-4a3a-85bd-2f98428e4678" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b]Mistake at the back[/b][/p][p]Pirates made it 3-0 with a little over three minutes remaining when Zimbabwean [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/msendami-daniel/QcnXfwLG/"]Daniel Msendani[/a] netted his first goal for the club following his move from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marumo-gallants/Gnghzo3C/"]Marumo Gallants[/a].[/p][p]He stole possession 35 yards from goal and with just Nwabali to beat, easily finished low into the corner of the net.[/p][p]The 25-year-old did not get much of a look-in in the second half of last season after his transfer so will hope his goal changes that. [/p][p]He signed in January but has still yet to start a league game for the team, with this his seventh appearance off the bench. [/p][p]That goal also took Pirates above [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kaizer-chiefs/fFZ2CGx0/"]Kaizer Chiefs[/a] to the top of the Betway Premiership table on goal-difference. [/p][infobox id="6b26ac9e-516b-44ef-ae26-248d15bdf3de" /][p][b]Slow start[/b][/p][p]You have to be careful not to read too much into things, but is there perhaps a bit of a World Cup hangover for some Pirates players, who have battled to reach the heights of last season?[/p][p]To be fair, they have lost the talent of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mofokeng-relebohile/hx20yWyp/"]Relebohile Mofokeng[/a] to Belgium, while injured striker Evidence [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/makgopa-evidence/riFLkbEo/"]Makgopa[/a] can be gangly but is also effective when used properly. He has been a miss.[/p][p]They were also without midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbatha-thalente/zuITHrv3/"]Thalente Mbatha[/a] and the injured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moremi-tshepang/QXY2UJk0/"]Tshepang Moremi[/a] against Chippa.[/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sebelebele-kamogelo/xU3kPyH0/"]Kamogelo Sebelebele[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/appollis-oswin/6e9QI2W6/"]Oswin Appollis[/a] have had a slow start to the campaign, perhaps struggling a bit to shake off the rust after a late start to pre-season.[/p][image alt="Betway Premiership standings" id="6a72e682-fdff-4fac-ac8a-161cecd3c18e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="3e2d7c17-a17c-4615-909f-a0d72c4b1775" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b]Pirates maintain dominance[/b][/p][p]Pirates have won the last seven clashes against Chippa since a 1-1 away draw in 2023, scoring 16 goals in the process and conceding only two.[/p][p]Overall, they have won 22 of the 29 previous meetings, with three draws and four defeats, and have still not lost away to the Chilli Boys since 2016.[/p][p]There has traditionally been a steady stream of player movement between the two clubs over the years, adding to their rivalry, which looks very one-sided.[/p][embed guid="7d19f426-6c64-44c3-9109-e8bff1baa07b" url="https://x.com/orlandopirates/status/2089000757089423589?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]What’s next?[/b][/p][p]Pirates have a boost in confidence heading into the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final away at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sekhukhune/UySmgAPp/"]Sekhukhune United[/a] next weekend.[/p][p]For reasons known only to them, the PSL have yet to release the exact fixture dates and times for the MTN8 matches.[/p][p]Pirates’ next league game is also against Sekhukhune, at home on August 25 between the two legs of their MTN8 clashes, meaning they will meet the Limpopo club three times in a week.[/p][p]Chippa are away at Siwelele that same evening as both sides seek a first win of the campaign.[/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]