Tshegofatso Mabasa's netted a brace to guide Orlando Pirates to a 2-0 win over Cape Town City on Wednesday afternoon.
Sipho Chaine, Deon Hotto and Miguel Timm were back from suspension for Pirates, but Patrick Maswanganyi missed out as Lesedi Kapinga got his first league start of the season.
Keanu Cupido very nearly made the breakthrough for the Citizens with a half-volley from the area following a corner-kick, but he couldn’t beat Chaine.
Cupido unfortunately didn’t manage to finish the game following a knock and had to make way for Patrick Fisher well around the half-hour mark, with the tie still poised.
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The Citizens began to lose a bit of rhythm towards halftime and invited the Buccaneers to bring Darren Keet to a save from an angled effort by Tshegofatso Mabasa.
Pirates continued pushing in the last seconds to the interval, with Mabasa again in-behind and on course but he was thwarted once more.
Pirates surged ahead 12 minutes in the second half after Mabasa made a blind run and got into space to guide Relebohile Mofokeng’s through pass beyond a diving Darren Keet.
The Citizens exerted pressure within the final 20 minutes and put Chaine to work with a header by Khanyisa Mayo from a throw-in.
Mabasa made it two in the 74th minutes after managing to meet another ball from Mofokeng to slot in the bottom-corner and bagged his 13th of the season.
City started to apply pressure with the match lively, but still failed to get in-behind nor trouble Chaine consistently enough.
Pirates contained all the late pressure and had done more than enough to see out the win to strengthen their top-two push, leaving City winless this year.
Confirmed line-ups:
Cape Town City: Keet, Mkhize, Cupido, Van Heerden, Gordinho, Petrus, Slatsha, Gonzalez, Rhodes, Mayo, Paciencia
Subs: Mpandle, Sifumba, Fisher, Goedeman, Ah Shene, Leshaba, Sereetsi, Mokhuane, Kutumela
Orlando Pirates: Chaine, Xoki, Sesane, Hotto, Timm, Mbatha, Monyane, Kapinga, Mofokeng, Dlamini, Mabasa
Subs: Buthelezi, Mthethwa, Baloni, Kimvuidi, Maela, Makgopa, Ndlondlo, Otladisa, Sibisi
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