Orlando Pirates were held to their first stalemate of the 2025/26 league season when they played to a 1-1 draw on their visit to Loftus Versfeld, where they took on Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.
The result ended the Buccaneers’ streak of six league victories, which they had embarked on without conceding, but also maintained a lengthy unbeaten run in the Premiership as they returned from a demanding trip to Tshwane with a point that kept the gap between the two sides to three points.
Returning to South Africa’s capital for what was perhaps their biggest league fixture thus far this season, Pirates signalled intent right from the get-go as they conjured up the game’s first real chances at goal. They recorded their first attempt in the sixth minute when striker Evidence Magkopa got on the end of a ball delivered by Deon Hotto before placing his shot just over the crossbar.
A set piece inside the home side’s territory followed, but it wasn’t accompanied by too much of a threat as Ronwen Williams calmly gathered Hotto’s ball whipped into the box. His opposite number, Sipho Chaine was equally unbothered when Peter Shalulile produced a tame header that landed safely in his gloves.
It was a battle of attrition as the home side gathered momentum towards the end of the first quarter, placing pressure on the Buccaneers. That eventually told as the visitors conceded after an error produced from sustained attack from the home side in the 20th minute when Chaine blocked Shalulile’s initial shot before the ball landed kindly for the Namibian international, who made no mistake in placing the ball in the back of the net.
Despite falling behind, Pirates had to contend with a spirited effort at drawing further ahead from the home side. The Buccaneers’ attempts at drawing level eventually led them back to opposition territory, where they won their first corner of the game in the 35th minute.
Hotto whipped the set piece in from the left corner and the clearance from the defence triggered a stunner from young midfielder Cemran Dansin, who only needed one touch as he volleyed at goal with his effort from long range which left the experienced Williams statued to the spot with the ball landing into the net.
The Soweto Giants’ opener spurred on a strong finish to the first period as they sparked up further chances at goal, with the best of the lot coming from Hotto whose movement in the final third placed him clear on the left before misdirecting his volley.
Having completed the first 45 minutes as the livelier of the two sides, the visitors continued to display confidence as they continued to control the contest. They nearly sparked a second goal through an unlikely source in Lebone Seema, who initiated a move inside his own half before popping up in an advanced position to force a save off Williams six minutes after the restart.
