Orlando Pirates suffered the first defeat of their Spanish tour when they went down 3-2 to Saudi giants Al-Ittihad in their pre-season friendly played at Banús Football Center on Tuesday night.
The fixture between two former continental champions provided a high-scoring encounter with both defences tested throughout a fast-paced 90 minutes on the southern coast of Spain. It was a valuable benchmark for the South African champions whose resolve was tested by another heavyweight.
Unbeaten in their two opening matches, the Buccaneers faced a different proposition against the two-time Asian champions. They were quick to advance on the pitch, creating a few chances early on with Tshepang Moremi, Evidence Makgopa and Thalente Mbatha all not finding the target with early shots at goal.
The Tigers meanwhile were able to make the most of their few opportunities and found the net inside the first 10 minutes when Abdulrahman Al-Aboud squared one for Youssef En-Nesyri who made no mistake in turning it past Sipho Chaine for the opener.
In search of the equaliser, Pirates had a chance through Oswin Appollis halfway through the first period, but the attacker could only draw a save from goalkeeper Predrag Rajković. The Serbian shot-stopper however had no answer for the next attempt at his goal as the Buccaneers drew level in the 26th minute.
The equaliser came through a measured approach around the penalty area, with a trademark pile-driver from Mbatha providing a deserved breakthrough through a finish from range.
With the two teams at a goal apiece, the Soweto Giants looked the more aggressive side in pursuit of a second goal. Appollis went narrowly wide with an effort at goal in the 35th minute, moments before Makgopa drew a save from Rajković.
Just as it panned out earlier in the contest, Ittihad found a goal against the run of play with former French international Moussa Diaby netting his side’s second with just seconds remaining before the break.
That second goal did not take the wind off the Buccaneers’ sails as they emerged from the interval with some purpose, and could have netted another equaliser three minutes after the restart when Moremi forced a save off replacement goalkeeper Mohammed Al Absi. The Tigers hit back with their own sustained period of attack, but the South African champions were able to withstand the pressure with Chaine pulling off an excellent stop to keep out a long-range effort on the hour mark.
The final half hour featured a determined effort from Pirates who went close through a powerful shot from midfielder Simphiwe Masilela, whose other attempt was turned out of play without troubling Al Absi.
The next goal however was from the boot of an Al-Ittihad player with George Ilenikhena getting one past Siyabonga Dladla to make it 3-1 in favour of the Saudi outfit.
This could have resulted in dampened spirits for the Soweto Giants, but they kept on searching for their second throughout the game’s dying moments. It came in injury time through striker Yanela Mbuthuma, who was the man to finally get the better of Al Absi when he fired in from inside the box.
Only seconds remained on the clock by then, reducing any chance of a remarkable comeback as the Buccaneers eventually fell to a narrow defeat in Marbella.
Pirates XI: Chaine (Dladla 63’), Seema (Zulu 63), Sibisi (Xoki 63’), Van Rooyen, Ndaba, Nduli (Selepe 46’), Mbatha (Mariko 46’), Maswanganyi (Masilela 63’)i, Appollis (Ngwato 46’), Moremi (Padime 63’), Makgopa (Mbuthuma 63’).
