It ended goalless between Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City in their DStv Premiership clash at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday evening.
In the earlier game on Wednesday, Marumo Gallants ran away 3-0 victors over Baroka.
Orlando Pirates 0-0 Cape Town City
Deon Hotto’s third-minute attempt went wide of goal, and just moments later Bandile Shandu forced a good save out of Hugo Marques. Hotto went close again in the eighth minute after he ran onto a through ball by Kabelo Dlamini, but City’s Angolan keeper was on hand again to deny the Pirates winger.
Kwame Peprah had a good chance in the 17th minute after a good cut back from Fortune Makaringe, but the Ghanaian was unable to find a good connection on the ball, and City were able to clear. Dlamini’s volley in the 20th minute went high and wide.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic, but while the visitors showed some enterprise in the midfield, they weren’t making in-roads in the final third. Darwin Gonzalez’s floated free kick in the 27th minute couldn’t find anyone in the box, before going just wide of goal.
Shandu had another good chance for Pirates in the 29th minute, but Marques got down well to make the save. A misplaced pass from Marques almost caused problems for City in the 33rd minute, but Thabang Monare’s shot final effort was wide.
Five minutes before halftime Pirates goalkeeper coach Sjoerd Woudenberg, who was formerly at City, was shown a red card by Victor Gomes for something he said.
City’s first shot at goal came in the 44th minute by Tashreeq Morris, but his attempt went directly at Siyabonga Mpontshane, who got down to make the save. Mpontshane also comfortably saved Terrence Mashego’s cross-come-shot two minutes later, before making a great one-handed save to deny Thabo Nodada.
Goalless at the break, Hotto had another chance to break the deadlock just two minutes into the second half, but his shot hit the side-netting, while Peprah couldn’t get good contact to Hotto’s cross in the 48th minute.
City were living dangerously, and twice in a row, their defence had to block shots in the 50th minute, but they had another rare chance a minute later, but Morris’ ball delivered goalward went just over.
Makaringe’s attempt in the 54th minute was saved by Marques after the midfielder had been set up by some good graft work from Peprah.
Marques wasn’t tested by Dlamini’s chance in the 74th minute, as the goal-scoring opportunities look to dry out.
Substitute Zakhele Lepasa had a great chance to win in for Pirates in the 88th minute, but his first touch let him down, and City sub Keanu Cupido made a goal-saving block.
Marumo Gallants 3-0 Baroka
It was goalless in the first half of the Limpopo derby at Peter Mokaba Stadium. However, Gallants were in front three minutes into the second half, after Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo converted a penalty.
Joseph Malongoane made it 2-0 in the 68th minute, with the assist coming from Katlego Otladisa.
Ndlondlo completed his brace in stoppage time to add to bottom-of-the-table Baroka’s woes.
AmaZulu host Stellenbosch, while TS Galaxy welcomes Mamelodi Sundowns in the 19h30pm kickoffs.
