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Orlando Pirates continued Moroka Swallows' Absa Premiership woes as they claimed a 1-0 win to win the Soweto Derby at Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.
Tlou Segolela's goal was the only strike of the encounter as they sentenced Swallows to another defeat, while keeping their chances of a top-three finish alive.
The fixture marked Vladimir Vermezovic's debut at Orlando Stadium as he was looking to earn his first Soweto derby victory after losing out to Kaizer Chiefs.
The first half chance arrived on eight minutes when Mpho Makola sent a great looping ball to Sifiso Myeni. The striker broke into the box but before he could unleash a shot Greg Etafia had rushed off his line to perform a great save.
Pirates deservedly broke the deadlock in the 12th minute after Thabo Matlaba saw his stinging shot pushed away by Etafia. The ball only went as far as Segolela, who nodded the ball into the back of an empty net while lingering at the back post.
Swallows' first chance of the fixture arrived in the 21st minute in which Senzo Meyiwa drew a save from Siyabonga Nomvethe. Felix Obada struck the rebound which was scrambled away in a mix-up between defender and goalkeeper.
Rudi Isaacs then connected onto a corner kick on the half hour, but his headed effort was directed high and wide of the goal posts, while Lerato Chabangu's free-kick grazed the crossbar of Meyiwa's goal.
Bucs made a change at the restart, seeing Lennox Bacela come off and replaced by Helder Pelembe, while Obada was the first to crack a whip at goal with a powerful effort that sailed past the far post.
Matlaba then saw his stinging snapshot on the edge of the area sail over the bar, before Etafia easily gathered Myeni's weak shot.
The tempo of the encounter took a sudden drop and, as a result, allowed for the Dube Birds to try to take control of the encounter.
With a quarter of an hour left on the clock Pirates were living dangerously. A throw-in was supplied into the box as Nomvethe tried to nod it in. It was beaten away by Meyiwa while Vuyisile Wana's follow-up was pushed out for a corner.
Swallows were lucky not to see out the final 10 minutes with 10 men after Levi Mokgothu was shown yellow for a crunching tackle on Happy Jele.
Orlando Pirates (1) 1 (Segolela 12')
Moroka Swallows 0
Teams:
Orlando Pirates: Meyiwa, Jele, Matlaba, Lekgwathi, Mahamutsa, Ntshumayelo, Manyisa, Makola (Erasmus 69'), Myeni (Masuku 85'), Bacela (Pelembe 46'), Segolela
Moroka Swallows: Etafia, Mapemba, Isaacs, Cohen, Mokgothu, Mbekile, Tsutsulupa, Mabalane (Wana 70'), Chabangu, Nomvethe (Bereng 83'), Obada
Segolela strike wins it for Pirates.
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