FULL TIME – Orlando Pirates 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 – AS IT HAPPENED!

And as for Daniel Akpeyi, that was UNBELIEVABLE! What a performance from the Nigerian goalkeeper, proving his worth as the Kaizer Chiefs number one. No wonder he is embraced by his teammates at the final whistle.

“First of all I want to thank my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ,” says Akpeyi on SuperSport TV.

“When it is good you get support and when it is good you get torn down. I hope it just continues. We decided we are not going to go wide, just stay compact, and when we win the ball, we have to counter.

“Every supporter should support the entire team not an individual, that is the problem we are having. Khune is a legend and the number one as far as I am concerned.”

FULL TIME – ORLANDO PIRATES 0 KAIZER CHIEFS 1 A huge win for Chiefs in the title race, they are now seven points clear of Mamelodi Sundowns and NINE clear of Orlando Pirates, whose chances of winning the title may well be over.

90+6 – Mhango is lucky to escape a second yellow card after clattering into Moleko. The game is almost up…

90 + 3 Mhango bumps into Moleko, and Mhango is booked. Happy Jele is also booked for complaining.

90+2 – Pirates want a penalty for a handball by Erick Mathoho, but that ball clearly hits Mathoho on the chest so no controversy there.

90 – Mhango with the cutback and Mabasa’s shot deflects over. There will be SIX minutes of added time. Ernst Middendorp is not exactly chuffed with that.

89 – Maluleka puts an effort way off target, but it wastes valuable time as we drift into the final minute of normal time.

86 – This is madness from Akpeyi! He springs to somehow tip over a Lorch effort after Chiefs fail to clear a corner and Pule cuts back for Lorch, but the Nigerian keeper leaps to save Chiefs again!

85 – Pule gets his head on Lorch’s corner, but it’s nowhere near the target.

Eight minute plus stoppage time for Pirates to find an equaliser or Chiefs to hold on for a massive win.

80 – Pirates win a free kick on the edge of the box for a foul by Cardoso on Memela. Cardoso is unimpressed but that did look like a shove. Pirates make a double substitution. Fortune Makaringe is off and Kabelo Dlamini is on, while Memela also leaves the field, replaced by Tshegofatso Mabasa. Pule puts the free kick over the bar.

Pirates have woken up and this promises to be a pulsating final 15 minutes.

75 – Vincent Pule puts an effort JUST wide of the post, with Akpeyi sprawled to his right.

74 – Paseka Mako is on for Pirates. Katsande, meanwhile, injured in that challenge with Nyauza, is off and Kenyan Anthony Akumu comes on for Chiefs.

73 – That is unbelievable from Akpeyi!!!!! Triple save to deny Pirates! First he stops Lorch’s effort then he keeps out Memela, and then he springs to stop another shot! In the midst of all that, Pirates had claims for a penalty. Wow!

72 – Chiefs miss another wonderful opportunity! Manyama curls in a left-footed cross, and with a free header, Erick Mathoho puts his effort wide.

69 – Pirates appear to have run out of ideas here. Akpeyi easily gathers a cross and quickly hurls it out to Manyama, but Chiefs slow the pace down… then Katsande bursts into space and stays down after a collision with Nyauza.

64 – Chiefs waste a glorious chance to make it 2-0! Billat races through on goal, and instead of shooting opts to square the ball for Manyama, but Nyauza makes a vital interception for Pirates!

61 – Another chance for Mhango, but he snatches at this one and puts it miles over the bar. Not looking like his afternoon.

58 – That’s a hopeless corner from Pirates, that goes out for a throw in to Chiefs. Khama Billiat comes on to replace Castro.

57 – Akpeyi is writhing in agony on the floor. But after some work from the physio, he’s ok to continue.

57 – Some confusion at the back from Chiefs, as Akpeyi comes for a cross, but Mathoho doesn’t appear to see him and heads the ball away. Amakhosi clear for a corner.

56 – Wonderful control from Nurkovic, lovely pass to Manyama, who clips the ball over the top, but Castro is just offside.

53 – Another chance for Pirates as Lorch bursts through the middle, but a poor touch from him allows Akpeyi to gather. Are Orlando Pirates fluffing their lines here?

50 – Pule breaks the offside trap, but his first touch can only send the ball out for a goal kick. Pirates haven’t been nearly clinical enough so far today.

49 – Pule fires well over from range. Pirates need to throw the kitchen sink at Chiefs in this half, only a win will do for the Buccaneers.

46 – The second half gets underway at FNB Stadium.

Lebogang Manyama of Kaizer Chiefs celebrates his goal during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs on the 29 February 2020 at FNB Stadium, Soweto Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

HALF TIME – Orlando Pirates 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1. Manyama’s superb strike separates the two sides. Pirates had most of the early play, but didn’t take their main chance, Akpeyi making a brilliant save from Mhango. The Nigerian shot-stopper is so far fulling justifying his inclusion ahead of Itumeleng Khune.

45+2 – Mhango goes down in the box under Moleko’s challenge and wants a penalty, but nothing is given.

45+2 – In first half stoppage time, a scuffle breaks out, as Katsande blocks off Lorch, Memela and Maluleka are involved, but it’s all nothing really.

42 – Another wonderful chance for Mhango goes begging. The Malawian marksman gets his head to a near post cross, from Lorch, but it glances off Mhango’s head and goes straight across the face of goal. A let off for Chiefs there!

39 – Maluleka’s set piece lands on the roof of the net!

38 – Chiefs get a free kick on the edge of the box. Another foul given against Jele, this time on Castro. Pirates not happy but it’s a free kick and…

36 – Mhango’s shot is deflected for a corner. Lorch is caught offside from a short corner. He’s not happy, but he was offside.

Well that was slightly against the run of play, but lethal from Manyama, who has been fantastic for Chiefs this season, and fired in his sixth league goal of the season, leaving Sandilands with no chance.

30’| #OP 0 : 1 #KC

GOAL!!!!! Manyama scores!! Orlando Pirates 0 : 1 Kaizer Chiefs. Manyama finds the back of the net from range #Amakhosi4Life #WozaNazo #SowetoDerby #KaizerChiefs50 pic.twitter.com/0mQxJGulLy

— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) February 29, 2020

30 – GOAL CHIEFS! Orlando Pirates 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1 What a strike from Lebogang Manyama! The Kaizer Chiefs attacker surges to the edge of the box and drills a brilliant low strike past Sandilands. 1-0 to Amakhosi!

30 – Nurkovic collapses to the turf under Happy Jele’s challenge, and wins a free kick. Chiefs take it quickly and Maluleka’s near post drive is tipped away by Wayne Sandilands.

28 – Leonardo Castro can’t find Reeve Frosler on the edge of the box, Thembinkosi Lorch making a fine interception, and the Bafana attacker then pops up at the other end too, his shot thundering straight into the arms of Akpeyi.

23 – Mthokozisi Dube goes flying into George Maluleka, a challenge that happens to take place right in front of the Chiefs bench, who are not impressed. And it is a yellow card for Dube.

18 – Maluleka smashes a shot well over. Chiefs being restricted to long range efforts so far.

17 – Pirates win a free kick on the edge of the box, Mhango smashes it into the wall and now he wants a penalty for handball. Nothing given.

15 – WHAT A SAVE DANIEL AKPEYI! Memela’s knock-down finds Mhango, and he looks certain to score, but Akpeyi plunges to his right and makes an exceptional save.

11 – Kearyn Baccus wants a penalty for handball after blasting the ball at Vincent Pule from very short range, but the referee dismisses the Chiefs midfielder’s claims, and if replays suggest the ball did hit Pule on the hand, there was hardly much he could do to get out of the way.

9 – Some top link-up play between Leonardo Castro and Lebo Manyama leads to a shot from the latter, which is curled over the bar, but much closer than Cardoso’s earlier effort.

8 -Pirates are finding plenty of space down the left, and Pule races towards Kgotso Moleko, but his cross is over-hit.

4th minute – Awful giveaway by Chiefs allows Pirates in but Mathoho gets a good block onto a Gabadinho Mhango shot. Chiefs need to be particularly careful with Mhango in this sort of form.

2nd minute – Daniel Cardoso with a long-range effort for Chiefs, but he slices it so far wide it’s debatable whether it can even be called a shot.

3.30pm: The game kick off at FNB Stadium, in front of a raucous, sell-out crowd.

Our own Tshepo Ntsoelengoe is at the game at FNB Stadium, and here’s a video he posted ahead of kick off!

Don’t know if this is mind games or it’s real muthi. 😂😂😂#SowetoDerbyFever @Phakaaathi pic.twitter.com/SU9QduYiS1

— Tshepo Ntsoelengoe (@Toko900) February 29, 2020

The big news from a Kaizer Chiefs perspective is that, as expected, Daniel Akpeyi starts ahead of Itumeleng Khune. For Pirates, Gabadinho Mhango, of course, leads the attack, while Luvuyo Memela, whose record this season reads seven starts for Pirates and seven wins, also gets the nod.

It’s only 20 minutes to kick off and we’ll be with you all the way. To start off, here are the two teams:

https://twitter.com/orlandopirates/status/1233725002551308290

Absa Premiership: Orlando Pirates vs. Kaizer Chiefs

Starting 11: Akpeyi, Moleko, Cardoso, Mathoho, Frosler, Katsande ©, Maluleka, Baccus, Castro, Manyama, Nurković

Subs: Khune, Parker, Billiat, Ntiya-Ntiya, Agay, Sasman, Zuma

Head Coach: Ernst Middendorp#Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/mmDTpQLOQZ

— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) February 29, 2020

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