Orlando Pirates continued their impressive run in the Betway Premiership with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Marumo Gallants at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Sunday.
The win enabled the Buccaneers to reduce the gap between them and log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns to one point with a game in hand.
Sundowns have 20 points after eight matches, to Pirates’ 19 after seven.
It was a solid performance by the Soweto giants, who managed to keep yet another clean sheet.
They have conceded only once from the penalty spot this season, against AmaZulu in their 1-1 draw last month.
Gallants’ woes continued — this was their fifth defeat in the league this season, with two draws.
Goals by Kabelo Kgosietsile and Nkosinathi Sibisi either side of halftime gave the Buccaneers their fifth successive win in the league.
Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou made just one change from their win over Durban City on Thursday, bringing in Simphiwe Selepe ahead of Mthetheli Mthiyane, who was dropped to the bench.
Gallants, who were looking for their first win of the campaign, came with a new coach, Ronni Kanalelo, who replaced Phuti Mohafe.
As expected, Pirates made a lively start, with Tshepang Moremi proving to be a handful for the opposition defenders.
They had to wait until the half-hour mark to take the lead when Kabelo Kgositsile made a run in behind and volleyed into the near corner.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa should have levelled immediately as Mxolisi Kunene burst through down the middle after the visitors conceded possession and went one-on-one with Sipho Chaine, but he went wide and failed to punish Pirates.
Gallants came back strongly in the second half, but could not break the Pirates defence, which denied them clear-cut chances.
The Buccaneers continued to dominate, displaying plenty of energy despite playing on Thursday against Durban City.
Pirates doubled their lead 15 minutes from time from a corner by Thapelo Mokobodi, which was headed in by Sibisi.
• Kaizer Chiefs continued to position themselves as this season’s draw kings, playing to a goalless stalemate against Golden Arrows at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was Chiefs’ fourth draw of this campaign, and the fifth league stalemate for Abafana Bes’thende.
With captain Brandon Petersen out for at least four weeks with a knee injury, Renaldo Leaner started in goal for Chiefs, making his debut for the club after joining from Sekhukhune United before the season started.
Leaner was called to action as early as the ninth minute, pulling off a great reflex save to deny Junior Dion, who had moved acrobatically to volley a brilliant cross by Philani Khumalo.
Dion then came agonisingly close to getting onto the end of Sithole’s inch-perfect cross in the 21st minute.
Referee Jelly Chavani awarded Chiefs a penalty when Arrows defender Ntandoyenkosi Mabasa tripped Faiz Abraham in the 31st minute.
Abafana Bes’thende goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa produced a brilliant one-hand save to deny Lebohang Maboe from 12 yards.
Maboe would later be stretchered off with what looked like a hamstring strain early in the second half. Adolf Mtasingwa replaced him.
Apart from the missed penalty, Amakhosi did not create clear-cut chances in the first half, though they made more box entries than Arrows.
Pule Mmodi and Abraham found joy on the flanks for Chiefs but the absence of a target man inside the box complicated things as the pair were forced to hold onto the ball, resulting in them being dispossessed in most instances. — Additional reporting by Sihle Ndebele