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Orlando Pirates stretch lead after Wits falter
JOHANNESBURG, Nov 11, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Orlando Pirates increased their
South African Premiership lead to three points Saturday by drawing at
Mamelodi Sundowns while closest rivals Wits suffered a shock home defeat.
Trophy-holders Sundowns and Pirates fought to a 0-0 stalemate before a huge
crowd in a Pretoria clash that produced few clearcut scoring chances.
Wits later fluffed a chance to go top on goal difference when they
surrendered a lead and had a player red-carded as they slumped to a 2-1 loss
against Bloemfontein Celtic.
Just six points separate the leading seven clubs in what could develop into
the tightest league title race for many seasons.
Pirates have 23 points, Wits and Celtic 20, Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and
SuperSport United 18 and Polokwane City 17 as the championship moves toward
the 15-round halfway mark.
There were few empty seats at the 52,000-capacity Loftus Versfeld Stadium,
which 2016 African champions Sundowns share with the Bulls Super Rugby
franchise.
But a wild miss by Sundowns New Zealand-born striker Jeremy Brockie from
inside the box 55 seconds after the kick-off was a sign of what lay ahead.
The long-time South African failing of poor finishing was much in evidence
with some of the shooting at goal embarrassingly poor.
A draw was a fair outcome as the two South African representatives in the
2019 CAF Champions League cancelled each other out.
“It was like a chess match,” said Serbia-born Pirates coach Milutin ‘Micho’
Sredojevic. “We offered the crowd tea, but no sugar.”
Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane said: “There was little space to operate with
both sides closing it down very quickly.”
Nine additional minutes were played in the opening half after a spectator
wearing Sundowns colours insulted Pirates’ assistant coach at the dugout,
leading to increased security.
Haashim Domingo hammered the ball into the Celtic net after a free-kick on
57 minutes to put his team ahead at Milpark Stadium within a Johannesburg
university campus.
But Robyn Johannes got a straight red card and Tshegofatso Mabaso converted
the resultant penalty before snatching the winner five minutes from time.
Chiefs failed to take advantage of Pirates being held as they played a 0-0
draw with wasteful Chippa United at an empty Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Spectators were barred as part of a punishment meted to Chiefs after some
of their supporters ran amok at the same venue last season, causing
considerable damage.
English striker James Keene netted soon after half-time to earn SuperSport
a 1-0 win at mid-table Free State Stars in central town Bethlehem.
Baroka ended a nine-match winless league run by coming from behind to
defeat Golden Arrows 2-1 at another Durban stadium with Vusi Sibiya scoring
the 48th-minute match-winner.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0850 hrs