Cissoko catches the eye in Argyle friendly draw
Issaka and Wright on target as Pilgrims’ Orlando Pirates clash ends in a 2-2 draw
DUTCH under-21 international winger Ibrahim Cissoko made an almost immediate impact for his new club Plymouth Argyle as they drew 2-2 with top South African side Orlando Pirates in their first preseason match.
Cissoko joined up with the Pilgrims’ squad earlier this week at their Spanish training camp in Marbella after completing a season-long loan from French Ligue 1 club Toulouse. The 21-year-old got his first run-out for Argyle as a substitute for Freddie Issaka on the hour mark against Orlando Pirates.
Argyle were trailing 2-1 at the time but Cissoko soon showed his ability to take on opposing players in the 63rd minute when he beat a Pirates’ defender and crossed for Callum Wright to get an equaliser from close range.
The Pilgrims’ three other summer signings - Muhamed Tijani, Nathanael Ogbeta, Darko Gyabi - all got 45-minute run-outs in Wayne Rooney’s first match as head coach, which was played in 35-degree temperatures on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
Argyle, who lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, fell behind in the 40th minute when a cross from the right was bundled home by Evidence Makgapa for Pirates, who finished as runners-up in the 2023/24 South African Premier Division.
However, the Pilgrims equalised almost immediately through 17-year-old Freddie Issaka, who had come on as a 30th minute substitute in a planned replacement of Mustapha Bundu, when he netted from close range.
Pirates restored their lead before half-time, though, as Olisa Ndah fired into the net past goalkeeper Michael Cooper following a corner.
Argyle had an opportunity to equalise soon after the interval when Issaka was fouled by Thabiso
Monaye inside the penalty area but Ryan Hardie saw his spot kick saved by goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi.
Wright did put the Pilgrims on level terms soon after the hour mark and later had a chance to put them ahead for the first time in the match but after rounding Buthelezi his shot was blocked on the line by a Pirates’ defender.
A total of 23 players got some game-time for Argyle, but Dan Scarr, Adam Forshaw and first-year professional Josh Bernard were not involved ‘to manage their pre-season workload’.
The Pilgrims’ next pre-season game is away to League Two side Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road on Saturday, July 20.
Meanwhile, former Plymouth Argyle defender Brandon Pursall has swapped Cornwall for Austria in the next stage of his football career and has already come up against top international opposition.
The 20-year-old, a graduate of
Argyle’s academy, spent last season playing for Mousehole in the Southern League Division One South, but it was announced last month he had joined Austrian top flight club LASK to be part of their ‘B’ team.
LASK’s senior squad hosted Turkish champions Galatasaray in a preseason game at the Raiffeisen Arena yesterday and Pursall played as a second half substitute.
Galatasary had already taken off internationals of the calibre of Dries Mertens (Belgium) Tete (Brazil) and Lucas Torreira (Uruguay) before Pursall replaced Hrvoje Smolcic in the LASK defence in the 62nd minute.
However, Galatasaray still had former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and Belgium international striker Mucky Batshuayi on the pitch at the time, although both were taken off later on.
The match was played in front of a crowd of 9,230 and LASK clinched a 3-2 win after a late goal from Senegalese striker Moussa Kone.