Orlando Pirates fightback earns share of spoils against Spanish side

Orlando Pirates came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Spanish side Cordoba in their first pre-season friendly in Marbella, Spain on Wednesday.

Both sides huffed and puffed with no goal in the first half until after the hour mark when the game came alive.

This was after coach Abdeslam Ouaddou made wholesale changes to his squad but it was the Spanish side that broke the deadlock.

Poor defending in the Pirates box saw them punished as Javi Antras pounced on a loose ball to fire past Sipho Chaine in the 68^th minute.

Radiopane robs keeper to equalise

However, the Buccaneers restored Parity six minutes later when Boitumelo Radiopane’s relentlessness paid off. With the Cordoba goalkeeper dilly-dallying on the ball just next to the goal-line, Radiopane’s quick thinking saw him press the custodian and win the ball before slotting home with the easiest of tap-ins.

This came after a first half where the two teams could not find a breakthrough with Patrick Maswanganyi the liveliest Pirates player in the opening 45 minutes.

Ouaddou had started with Siyabonga Dladla, Mpho Chabatsane, Sbangani Zulu, Deano van Rooyen, Nkosikhona Ndaba, Simphiwe Selepe, Abdoulaye Mariko, Maswanganyi, Mpho “Phopho” Padime, Gamphani Lungu and Yanela Mbuthuma.

Pirates’ changes pay dividends

However, after failing to get a tune out of them, he introduced Chaine, Thapelo Xoki, Cristian Derbyshire, Mthetheleli Mthiyane, Camren Dansin, Simphiwe Masilela, Tshepang Moremi and Radiopane in the 62^nd minute.

These changes saw Pirates raise their game and there were threats at the Cordoba goal while the Spanish side also found spaces to trouble the Buccaneers’ backline.

Pirates will now look forward to their second pre-season encounter against Cadiz, another Spanish second division side, on Saturday.