It took 30 minutes in the first-half to separate Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the mouthwatering Absa Premiership league match at a fully-packed FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The only goal of the game was netted by the agile Lebogang Manyama who drifted to the right in search for a slight defense opening on the edge of the box.

As a handful of Pirates players attempted to steal the ball away from him while others backing off, he let rip. His low belter found a niche on the bottom corner of the inner goalpost. The stung Pirates goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands stretched hopelessly to the limit with no luck.

Orlando Pirates were rattled. Their attempts did not go far enough to threaten Chiefs in the first half. They had few goal-scoring encounters with the best falling invitingly to their go-to top striker, Gabadinho Mhango. He fired blanks.

No sting

From time to time Pirates shot like a radarless plane in the enormous hollow sky. They regroup and showed more determination after the break, with more thrust in the final quarter of the full 90 minutes. Notwithstanding unabated pressure, the solid Chiefs defense did not curve in.

By beating the relentless Pirates team, stoic Chiefs have effectively regained their seven points lead at the summit of the league table.

The Buccaneers suffered their first league defeat since December when German coach Josef Zinnbauer took over from the underperforming caretaker coach Rhulani Mokoena.

To this, he [Zinnbauer] blames the final pass and lack of luck on the day. Furthermore, he said the players squandered obvious chances, underscoring the opportunities Luvuyo Memela fluffed. However, he acknowledged the strength of his opponents, Kaizer Chiefs, as one of the top PSL teams.

Chiefs have been the most consistent team in the league. The win against Pirates confirms that. Although Pirates have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, the loss (to Chiefs) is indicative of the outstanding work yet to be done in their stable. It also gives Zinnbauer food for thought going forward.

One down, two to go for Chiefs

On 39 points with eight Premiership games left, Pirates blew their chances of giving the frontrunners a fair shout for their money.

Realistically, Amakhosi [Chiefs] will have to keep a close eye on Mamelodi Sundowns breathing down their necks in the league race. There is more: the pair owe each other a second-round league date.

For their share, the defending champions [Sundowns] were not scheduled for any league match this weekend due to their continental engagement/s. They remain, however, the real contenders for the tittle second on the log with 41 points and a game in hand.

At the moment though, Amakhosi will hold onto their top spot intimately with 48 points and tear away whenever a chance presents itself. There are few heavy games to expend on their path. Chiefs still have to play (Sundowns at home and) Bidvest Wits on two occasions.

Man of the match 

The Buccaneers ended the match firing in all cylinders after a tentative start. With all their offensive efforts in full throttle, the only player who stood between them and scoring was Daniel Akpeyi, Chiefs goalkeeper. He was outstanding between the sticks.

Not only once did Akpeyi deny Pirates goals but for the entire game. He pulled a blinder after another heralding him a deserved man-of-the-match.

In a post-match interview Akpeyi said it is regrettable that people are pitting him against Itumeleng Khune as to who should be Chiefs number shot-stopper. Khune remains number one and a great role model, he emphasized.

Chief coach Ernst Middendorp dedicated the win to his players’ tactical discipline of sitting back and hitting on counter-attacks when Pirates were exposed. Chiefs scored their solitary winning goal when they took the game to the Buccaneers half an hour from kick-off.

Playing for pride

Orlando Pirates trail Chiefs by nine (9) points and remain third on the log behind second-placed Sundowns.

It will be a monumental pursuit if any attempt for them. For all intents and purposes, they seem to have fallen hard and behind from the race this weekend. As far as the championship goes, it may well be over for the Buccaneers.

But who is to say? After all, football turns. Even bruised Pirates will not admit to giving up now regardless of the gap between themselves and Kaizer Chiefs. Gap or no gap, they will keep plodding on.

Double delivering coronation day

After doing a double – trashing them twice in a season – on Orlando Pirates, Chiefs have earned the Soweto bragging rights for the season. The rip-roaring rapture in the stands was sky-splitting at the end of the exhaustingly anticipated Soweto derby.

How sweet it will be should they go all the way and snatch the absolute sought-after prize when the 2019/20 Absa Premiership edition folds!

At this point there are few teams left standing on their way to be crowned the league champions.

There is no lingering doubt that the momentum is and has always been with them the entire time. Surely now Chiefs will not let go.