Absa Premiership
Result: Orlando Pirates 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 29 February 2020
Venue: FNB Stadium
Soweto will be painted black and gold once again as Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs handed Josef Zinnbauer his first league defeat as Orlando Pirates coach on Saturday afternoon.
Pirates recalled Mthokozisi Dube, Ben Motshwari and Fortune Makaringe as Pirates went in search of a seventh straight league win.
Meanwhile, Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp kept faith with Daniel Akpeyi in goal and the inclusion of Reeve Frosler and Kearyn Baccus saw talisman Khama Billiat start on the bench.
Josef Zinnbauer's charges came close to getting the opener in the 14th minute after Gabadinho Mhango received a pass from Luvuyo Memela in the six-yard box but his close range shot was saved by Akpeyi.
The Buccaneers looked the liveliest going forward but it was the Glamour Boys who drew first blood on the half-hour mark thanks to a stunning low strike from Lebogang Manyama that found the bottom corner.
Pirates were working their way back into the game and Mhango came close to finding the equaliser three minutes before the break but the league's top scorer somehow guided his header wide with only Akpeyi to beat.
Chiefs were under pressure early in the second stanza although Middendorp was foced to make a change just before the hour-mark after bringing on Billiat in place of the injured Leonardo Castro.
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Billiat had a glorious chance to give Amakhosi a two-goal lead a few minutes later after beating the offside trap to go clear on goal but instead of taking a shot, he threaded a pass to Manyama which was intercepted by Nyauza.
Eric Mathoho missed a sitter in the last 20 minutes for Amakhosi, after guiding a free header inside the six-yard box wide from George Maluleka's cross.
At the other end, Pirates were fired up after that but Akpeyi produced heroics once again, as he made a double save to deny Thembinkosi Lorch and Memela on a rebound.
The Buccaneers piled on the pressure in the latter stages but Chiefs had Akpeyi to thank after the Nigerian kept out Nyauza's goal-bound to seal three points for the AmaKhosi.
Here's how they lined up:
Pirates: 30. Sandilands, 28. Dube, 23. Maela, 4. Jele, 2. Nyauza, 6. Motshwari, 3. Lorch, 15. Makaringe, 7. Mhango, 11. Memela, 45. Pule.
Subs: 1. Delle, 27. Ndengane, 16. Mabasa, 29. Mako, 8. Ndlovu, 18. Dlamini, 17. Mulenga.
Chiefs: 40. Akpeyi, 18. Moleko, 39. Frosler, 3. Mathoho, 4. Cardoso, 31. Katsande, 12. Maluleka, 6. Baccus, 8. Castro, 21. Manyama, 9. Nurkovic.
Subs: 16. Khune, 20. Sasman, 36. Ntiya-Ntiya, 25. Parker, 11. Billiat, 5. Akumu, 28. Zuma.
