ABSA Premiership
Result: Chiefs 1-1 Pirates
Date: 26 October 2013
Venue: FNB Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs came back from a goal as they played out a 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates in a hard-fought Soweto Derby on Saturday.
Pirates showed their intentions from the start as they fired at goal whenever they had a sight of goal at the edge of the area, and the first attempt from Andile Jali sailed just over.
Oupa Manyisa then saw a strike blocked in the eighth minute and although his second attempt got through, it was easy or Itumeleng Khune to deal with.
The opening goal arrived two minutes later with Kermit Erasmus burying a composed finish at the near post after being found perfectly by a cross from Thabo Matlaba.
Bernard Parker then fired a looping free-kick just over from a difficult angle when it seemed to be better suited for a whipped cross.
Daine Klate was then found by a sublime pass from Erasmus with the outside of his foot but the winger had a rush of blood to the head and lashed a wild finish miles off target.
Erasmus should have hit the target in the 25th minute when he was given far too much space at the edge of the area but he curled his shot off target.
Chiefs were starting to get into the game with Siphiwe Tshabalala looking particularly lively and he fired a shot inches wide before having another shot deflected just off target.
The Bafana Bafana winger would then create the equaliser when he broke the offside trap before curling a ball to the far post where Kingston Nkhatha was waiting to tap in. Replays indicated that the forward struck from an offside position, but the goal stood.
Chiefs maintained their pressure in the final few minutes of the half but the game remained locked at 1-1.
Amakhosi continued to press after the break and saw Nkhatha sting the palms of Meyiwa in the 53rd minute before Lennox Bacela's curling effort drew a save from Khune.
Tensions almost exploded on the hour mark after Parker went down and a tussle for the ball ensued over the player who was lying on the ground. Jali looked to get a kick in on Willard Katsande, who had fouled him earlier, and then the handbags came out. Officials cooled the situation down but nobody was punished at the time.
Football resumed and Klate failed to get the needed direction and power on a header in the 67th minute before Sifiso Myeni failed to tuck away a brilliant cross from Tlou Segolela with 15 minutes to go.
The final few minutes were tough and tense, as clear chances were hard to come by for both sides, and in the end they had to settle for a point each.
Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Morgan Gould, Tefu Mashamaite, Tsepo Masilela, Willard Katsande, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, George Lebese, Bernard Parker, Kingston Nkhatha.
Pirates: Senzo Meyiwa, Happy Jele, Rooi Mahamutsa, Ayanda Gcaba, Thabo Matlaba, Oupa Manyisa, Andile Jali, Khethokwakhe Masuku, Daine Klate, Lennox Bacela, Kermit Erasmus.
Read: RDS: A Fair Result
Read: Baxter: A Frustrating Draw
Read: Masilela: We'll Take A Point
Check: More Football Action On The Live Scores
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