News

Super Eagles star beats South Africa’s Makgopa to award after brilliant display for Orlando Pirates vs Polokwane

Super Eagles defender Olisa Ndah delivered an exceptional performance on Tuesday afternoon, leading Orlando Pirates to a commanding 3-0 victory over Polokwane City in their Betway Premiership clash at Orlando Stadium, Soccernet.ng reports

Ndah’s solid display in defence earned him the Man of the Match award, despite going off injured in the 83rd minute following a collision with Cole Alexander.

Ndah’s performance outshone that of his teammate Evidence Makgopa, who netted two late goals for the Buccaneers.

Though Makgopa was also a strong contender for the award, it was Ndah’s composure, positioning, and leadership at the back that secured the accolade.

His presence in the heart of the Pirates’ defence proved critical in keeping a clean sheet against Polokwane City’s persistent attacks.

Ndah, who was part of Nigeria’s squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and recently received a call-up for Nigeria’s upcoming fixtures against Benin Republic and Rwanda, once again showed why he is regarded as one of Africa’s top defenders.

His ability to read the game and organise the backline was evident throughout the match, particularly when Orlando Pirates were under pressure in the first half.

The Buccaneers were in control from the start, dictating possession and creating several early chances.

Tshegofatso Mabasa saw his third-minute shot deflected wide, and though Polokwane City had a brief spell of attacking intent, Pirates always looked the more likely to score.

Monnapule Saleng opened the scoring early in the second half, latching onto a pass from Relebohile Mofokeng before beating the goalkeeper from a tight angle.

As the match wore on, Pirates extended their lead when Karim Kimvuidi’s powerful shot hit the upright, allowing Makgopa to tap in the rebound.

The towering South African forward added a second late in the game, capitalising on a defensive error to slot home from close range and seal a 3-0 win.

Ndah’s standout performance not only reinforced his reputation as one of the best defenders on the continent but also highlighted his importance to Orlando Pirates’ unbeaten run this season.

This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 6:14 pm

Imhons Erons

Share
Published by
Imhons Erons

Recent Posts

One-time Ballon d’Or winner faults Calvin Bassey for Janelt’s goal despite Fulham win

Former England and Real Madrid forward, Michael Owen, has revealed that Brentford's opening goal against… Read More

40 mins ago

“You can’t wear that jersey and be slacking” – Nwankwo Kanu sends cryptic message to Boniface, urges Super Eagles stars to step up

Former Arsenal and Super Eagles striker, Nwankwo Kanu, has urged the Nigerian players to step… Read More

2 hours ago

Pictures: Osimhen returns to training for Galatasaray ahead of Europa League cracker against Tottenham

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has returned to training with Turkish champions Galatasaray after being… Read More

2 hours ago

Super Eagles star joins Dominic Solanke and Chelsea’s Caicedo in BBC’s Premier League TOTW

Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest full-back, Ola Aina has been included in Troy Deeney's BBC's… Read More

2 hours ago

Real Madrid target Super Eagles star with 27 G/A in 2024 as Vinicius Jr nears world-record move to Al-Hilal

Real Madrid may soon face the departure of their star forward Vinicius Junior, with Al-Hilal… Read More

3 hours ago

AFCON U20: Coach Zubairu opens Flying Eagles door for Inter Milan, OGC Nice, Genk wonderkids

Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has pledged to give Nigeria’s foreign-based talents the opportunity… Read More

4 hours ago