A late own-goal by Black Leopards defender Thabiso Mokoena [90+1] at Thohoyandou Stadium wedged Orlando Pirates between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns on top of the league packing order.
Positioned second with 49 points to the after 21 games, they are pushing both the Premier Soccer League giants right to the end of the title race.
Chiefs’ 2-1 loss in Johannesburg to Maritzburg United Saturday Feb. 15 evening set their league honours quest on a tailspin. Dylan Claasen [65′, 67′] banged in a brace in two minutes and Samir Nurkovic [78′] got a consolation goal for the home side.
The Soweto derby on the 29th may make or break Chiefs chances to end their 4-season cup dry spell. Pirates too, have not won any league title in a long time. The stakes will be incredibly high.
Amakhosi will go toe-to-toe with Pirates on Feb. 29, 2020 on their next fixture. The difference between them is just a mere 6-point and a game in hand for Chiefs.
The Buccaneers sense that they have turned the corner after a sluggish start to the 2019/20 season that has cast aside the head coach and a caretaker one in the first round of the league.
On Sunday, Black Leopards failed to clear their lines in the dying minutes of the game when Mokoena tried to block a Vicent Pule devious cross in the host’s danger area. The ball deflected off the defender and drilled into back of the net over Lidoda Duvha goalkeeper Rotshidzwa Muleka. Orlando Pirates won the match by one goal to zero.
The league chase has another behemoth in serious contention. Sundowns have accumulated 38 points from 19 matches. Over the past weekend, the trashing of Chippa United 3-0 in Pretoria might have sent shivers down the other contenders in the league.
The Brazilians goals were slotted in by Nicholus Lunkubeni[2′], Themba Zwane [59′] and Sibusiso Vilakazi [64′] at Loftus Versfeld Stadium Saturday after. On the 57th minute of that league game, Sandile Mthethwa’s red card set Chippa on the back foot. They lie 3rd on the log and look the part.
Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns still have to play one another in the Absa Premiership league. The margins are thinning. There is still much to play for.
Highlands Park’s persistence to hang onto their head coach Owen Da Gama is paying off. After a stuttering performance in the past weeks, he has regained the confidence of the team and they are firing.
They whipped Bloemfontein Celtic 2-0 at Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa Saturday afternoon. The prolific Peter Shalulile scored on the 20th and 54th minutes to give the Lions of the North a clear win.
Saturday Feb. 15 Absa Premiership
Baroka FC 0-1 Bidvest Wits
AmaZulu FC 1-2 Lamontville Golden Arrows
Sunday Feb. 16 Absa Premiership:
Polokwane City 3-2 Cape Town City FC