Cape Town City and Orlando Pirates played out a highly-entertaining 2-2 draw in their DStv Premiership clash at a baking hot Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The result sees the Buccaneers remain in third place on 10 points – three adrift of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns – while the Citizens are just one point and one position further back after leapfrogging SuperSport United.
The visitors had a great chance to claim the lead with just a minute on the clock, as Zakhele Lepasa cleverly put Deon Hotto through on goal, but the Namibian – under pressure from a defender – dragged his shot wide with only goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh to beat.
Pirates were made to pay for that miss when Mduduzi Mdantsane opened the scoring with a beautifully-finished goal in the seventh minute. The former Baroka player received the ball in the box, and made just enough space to curl a shot around Thulani Hlatshwayo and beat Richard Ofori’s right hand.
The Buccaneers struck back to level the game in the 18th minute. Lepasa again put Hotto into a dangerous position and this time his effort was on target, with Leeuwenburg making a fine save only to see Vincent Pule tuck home the rebound from close range for 1-1.
Pirates went on to threaten a second goal and saw Lepasa twice denied by fine saves, but against the run of play the Citizens reclaimed the lead on 32 minutes, as former Bucs star Abbubaker Mobara scored with a viciously swerving long-range effort which completely wrong-footed Ofori.
City held their 2-1 lead to the halftime interval, while Pirates made a change at the break by introducing attacker Terrence Dzvukamanja. The Zimbabwean nearly scored on 50 minutes when he rifled a shot from the edge of the box which had the beating of Leeuwenburgh, but not the crossbar.
The Cape side’s first substitute was Mpho Makola, who himself threaten a goal on 65 minutes when he sent a fierce effort on target direct from a free kick, but Ofori did well to push the ball away for a corner kick.
That set piece ironically ended in a goal for Pirates, with the visitors scoring a brilliant counter-attacking effort. The pace of Lepasa brought his side forward from deep inside their own half, his pass was cleverly back-heeled by Hotto to set up Pule, who stroked home to make it 2-2 in the 66th minute.
Ten minutes later Bucs almost went ahead for the first time, with super-sub Tshegofatso Mabasa striking an effort onto Leeuwenburgh’s left-hand post. That proved to be as close as the Soweto giants would come to a winner, though they created intense pressure in the dying stages which City did well to resist.
City will be back in DStv Premiership action when they play away to local rivals Stellenbosch on December 15, while Pirates will appear in the MTN8 final on December 12 before hosting Chippa United in the league four days later.
Cape Town City (2) 2 (Mdantsane 7’, Mobara 32’)Orlando Pirates (1) 2 (Pule 18’ 66’)TEAMS:
Cape Town City: Leeuwenburgh, Mkhize, Mobara, Fielies, Mashego, Martin (Zulu 82’), Nodada, Mdantsane (Makola 58’), Mokeke, Ralani, Opoku Agyemang (Morris 69’)
Orlando Pirates: Ofori, Nyauza, Hlatshwayo, Maela, Jooste (Ndlovu 73’), Monare (Dzvukamanja 46’), Makaringe, Motshwari, Hotto, Pule (Mhango 73’), Lepasa (Mabasa 73’)© Backpage TXT
SOURCED FROM THE PSL WEBSITE.
