Absa Premiership
Result: Orlando Pirates 0-0 SuperSport United
Date: 05 December 2017
Venue: Orlando Stadium
SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates played to a 0-0 draw at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday evening, in a game of two halves with plenty of chances at both ends.
Matsatsantsa got off to a bright start, but a defensive lapse could have cost them a goal in the ninth minute. SuperSport failed to deal with a ball into the danger area, following a corner and allowed Thamsanqa Gabuza a shot at the far post. However, he was unable to hit the target.
Two minutes later, the visitors were gifted a chance at the other end in similar fashion. Pirates didn't deal with the ball in from a free-kick, but Jeremy Brockie could only fire over from close range.
In the 18th minute, Brockie went for goal again — this time from a cleanly-struck free-kick, but was unable to curl it into the top corner.
Both sides enjoyed decent spells going forward, but SuperSport took control towards the end of the half.
A last-ditch intervention from Thabo Matlaba denied Reneilwe Lotsholonyane the chance to score with eight minutes, plus stoppage time remaining. Straight afterwards, Brockie struck the post.
Clayton Daniels then missed a sitter from right in front of goal in the 43rd minute.
Pirates started the second half in more promising fashion, but SuperSport continued to threaten and Thuso Phala fired just wide of the post from a 55th minute free-kick.
This came four minutes after Pirates had made the first substitution of the game, replacing Riyaad Norodien with Thabiso Kutumela.
Kutumela went close to opening the scoring 62 minutes in, getting on the end of a lovely ball from Luvuyo Memela and striking the post with his shot.
SuperSport brought Sifiso Myeni on for Aubrey Modiba straight afterwards. In the 67th minute, they went relatively close to scoring again, as Letsholonyane let fly from distance, but just missed the target.
However, Pirates continued to threaten at the other end and went close twice in quick succession. First, in the 74th minute, Memela headed the ball just wide of goal. Then, a poor clearance from Reyaad Pieterse allowed Pirates to create another chance. Mpho Makola's shot went inches wide of the target.
In the middle of the chaos, Sipho Mbule replaced Letsholonyane.
Teboho Mokoena was the next player to be substituted, with Thato Mokeke coming on in the 82nd minute.
Myeni went close to scoring against his former club in the 89th minute, firing narrowly wide from just outside the box.
Richard Boateng's audacious long-range effort in stoppage time, proved uncomfortable for Jackson Mabokgwane, but he was able to keep it out.
Ayanda Nkosi then came on to replace Gabuza in a late substitution.
Ultimately, neither side was able to break the deadlock and Eric Tinkler claimed just a point against his former club.
Here's how they lined up:
Pirates: 16. Mabokgwane, 19. Chabalala, 6. Shitolo, 34. Nyauza, 8. Matlaba, 21. Sangweni, 14. Nyatama, 26. Norodien, 11. Memela, 5. Makola, 31. Gabuza.
SuperSport: 1. Pieterse, 18. Nhlapo, 29. Gould, 4. Daniels, 2. Boateng, 8. Furman, 6. Letsholonyane, 28. Mokoena, 13. Phala, 16. Modiba, 11. Brockie.
