Mofokeng stars for Pirates as they rout Galaxy to reclaim top spot

Orlando Pirates returned to the summit of the Betway Premiership table after they handed a 10-man TS Galaxy a 6-0 drubbing at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

A hat-trick from Relebohile Mofokeng, an own goal from Mlungisi Mbunjana and a goal each from Tshepang Moremi and Kamogelo Sebelebele earned Pirates a convincing win over The Rockets in Nelspruit.

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The victory saw the Buccaneers move to 51 points at the top, one above Mamelodi Sundowns, who were on continental duty this past weekend. The Brazilians, however, have a game in hand.

After their 11^th loss of the season, Galaxy remained 11^th on the log with 25 points after 22 games.

Mofokeng gave the visitors the perfect start to the match when he put them in the lead with a brilliantly taken free kick just outside the penalty box in the sixth minute.

The free kick was awarded to Pirates after Oupa Motaung fouled Yanela Mbuthuma who was through on goal and referee Jelly Chavani gave the Galaxy defender his marching orders for a professional foul. And from it, Mofokeng shot the ball over the wall and into the far corner.

With a man down, Galaxy resorted to applying the low blow and trying to catch Pirates on the counter attack.

Goalkeeper Ira Tape kept Galaxy in the game by producing brilliant saves. The Ivorian produced a point-blank save to deny Andre De Jong from close range in the 18^th minute as the Buccaneers continued to push for more goals in the first half.

Tape did well to parry De Jong’s shot for a corner kick in the 40^th minute and from that resultant corner, Tshepang Moremi scored Pirates’ second goal with a low shot.

Things were to go from bad to worse for Galaxy just before the break as Mbunjana put the ball into his own net while trying to play a back pass to Tape who had stumbled to the floor.

It took the Buccaneers just eight minutes in the second half to add to their goal tally through Mofokeng, who completed his brace with a well-taken individual goal.

Kamogelo Sebelebele made it 5-0 for Pirates in the 64^th minute before Mofokeng bagged his hat-trick five minutes later to put the final nail into Galaxy’s coffin.