Orlando Pirates have reignited their aspirations for the Betway Premiership title with a pivotal 1-0 win over a stubborn Polokwane City outfit at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday afternoon.
The spoils from the encounter allow second-placed Pirates to narrow the 15-point gap to 12 at the top of the standings, with three games in hand. Log-leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, after 23 games, have 58 points and seem well on their way to an eighth consecutive Premiership title.
After the match, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro said his team did well under challenging conditions.
"It was always going to be an ugly game because it was played on a bumpy pitch," said Riveiro. "We have had to play hard for these three points.
"It's not any team that comes to Polokwane and leaves with three points.
"As always, teams run the extra mile when they play us, but this team (Pirates) want to win, and they show it.
"At halftime, we spoke about being patient, and the reward will be there. That's how it happened."
At the start, the match unfolded with vibrant end-to-end play, creating a spectacle as both teams tried to impose themselves on the game. It made for back-and-forth action, and in the opening seven minutes, the goalkeepers Kenyan Brian Bwire (Polokwane) and Sipho Chaine (Pirates) were each called on to make saves.
Chaine's effort was noteworthy as he steered a pile-driver from the dangerous Oswin Appollis over the crossbar for a corner. Moments later, the winger Appollis threatened again but to no avail.
Once Polokwane failed to build on their promising start, they allowed Pirates to take charge and dominate for the greater part of the first half. As a result, they were forced to settle for long spells of defence. They relied on occasional transition play to keep them in the game, and their penetrative sorties down the right flank always looked promising.
Around the 20th minute, Pirates had a gilt-edged scoring chance after Mohau Nkota hoofed the ball upfield, and beyond the Polokwane rearguard. The pacy Relebohile Mofokeng ran in hard to connect, and his parting shot skewed wide from a tight angle.
Midway through the half, Polokwane tried to undo Pirates' vice-like grip on the match by trying hard to deny them space on the ball. It did, however, disrupt Pirates' cohesion for a while, but Patrick Maswanganyi offered relief with a few moments of 'kasi flava' showboating and that took the sting out of Polokwane.
Towards the end of the first half, Polokwane's counter-attacks realised scoring opportunities for Manuel Kambala and Appollis after Pirates’ defence was caught napping out wide.
No sooner had the teams returned for second-half play and Pirates were firing on all cylinders. Defender Deano van Rooyen produced a goalmouth feed which Polokwane failed to deal with and Evidence Makgopa was left unmarked to attempt a scoring header.
Moments later, defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi unleashed a left-footed shot from about 35 metres out but the effort flew fractionally wide.
Around the hour mark, Pirates coach made a double substitution to beef up his side's attack. He brought on Kabelo Dlamini and Melusi Buthelezi in place of Tshegofatso Mabasa and Evidence Makgopa. The ploy paid dividends moments later when Pirates' pressure forced a close-range free-kick.
Bwire failed to gather Mohau Nkota's shot into the goalmouth cleanly, and Nkosinathi Sibisi pounced to scramble the stray ball into the Polokwane net.
This outcome will prove a confidence booster ahead of their CAF Champions League quarter-final, second-leg tie against MC Alger on Wednesday at Orlando Stadium. Pirates won the first leg 1-0 in Algiers last week.