Orlando Pirates were stunned by Cape Town Spurs in their DStv Premiership fixture played at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday, with the hosts walking off 2-1 winners on the night.
In their third outing in eight days, the Buccaneers were searching for their first league win in over a month against a side still yet to celebrate a victory after nine outings across competitions this season.
The visitors were immediately placed on the back foot as the home side enjoyed a dream start, taking the lead just three minutes into the game through Lubeni Haukongo, who was in the perfect spot to capitalise from a defensive lapse and make it 1-0.
Pirates’ attempts at drawing level were rebuffed by the Spurs defence, who denied them opportunities at goal early on.
Their first shot at target came in the 15th minute, with Thabiso Monyane forcing a save off goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom after collecting a loose ball from just outside the box.
They kept probing relentlessly, setting up camp deep in opposition, but the equaliser continued to elude them.
The Buccaneers came close 10 minutes from the break when Deon Hotto sprung up on the left before attempting to locate Evidence Makgopa, only for the ball to be directed out of the onrushing Bucs striker’s reach by a crucial touch from Clayton Daniels.
That proved to be a costly miss, with Spurs managing to double their lead just seconds after as Jarrod Moroole went one-on-one with Bucs keeper Melusi Buthelezi, who saved his first attempt before he buried the rebound.
The hosts weren’t content with a two-goal cushion, continuing to turn the screws on the Soweto Giants with Ashley Cupido troubling the defence with his pace before Buthelezi intervened with a crucial save.
Just as it looked like Pirates would go into the break trailing by two goals, they pulled one back as Makgopa nodded home from close range after Tapelo Xoki teed him up with a cleverly placed header.
They came out of the tunnel the more determined of the two sides, immediately pushing the Cape side deep inside their half.
Thabang Monare had the first real opportunity of the second period as he headed at goal from a corner, only to place his effort wide.
Set pieces continued to spark chances for the Soweto Giants, with Olisa Ndah directing his header narrowly off target after connecting with a ball from Patrick Maswanganyi.
Thembinkosi Lorch and Karim Kimvuidi each launched a shot at goal midway through the second half but neither could provide the crucial equaliser before Maswanganyi went even closer from point-blank range, with his shot tipped over the bar by Ramsbottom.
The hosts were able to cope with the unrelenting pressure from the visitors in a frantic final 10 minutes, clinging on for their first points of the season, while the Buccaneers now go four league games without a win.
Pirates XI: Buthelezi, Xoki, Ndah (Pule 88’), Monyane (Shandu 88’), Hotto, Monare, Timm (Kimvuidi 46’), Maswanganyi, Lorch, Erasmus (Saleng 64’), Makgopa (Lepasa 77’).
