10-man Pirates hold Sundowns to a draw

Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home by 10-man Orlando Pirates in a DStv Premiership match played at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

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The Soweto giants played for the last 36 minutes of the game with a man down after Miguel Timm was shown a red card for a needless foul on Ronwen Williams.

Marcelo Allende’s opener was cancelled out by Thapelo Xoki from the penalty spot in what was an ill-tempered affair.

Rulani Mokwena came into the game without the majority of his Bafana Bafana stars who did duty for South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

Only Williams and Thapelo Morena made the starting XI while Peter Shalulile also led the front line following his participation at the AFCON with Namibia.

As expected, Thembinkosi Lorch made his debut for Sundowns against his former club. All eyes were on him at the packed stadium in Tshwane and he was cheered by Masandawana everytime he got on the ball.

The same could not be said about the Buccaneers who jeered his every move from the moment he set foot at the stadium. He was booed during the pre-match warm up and that hostility carried into the game.

It was goalless at the break after a rather lukewarm opening 45 minutes. Pirates were reduced to 10-man shortly after the restart when Timm was shown a second yellow card for impeding Williams who was attempting to restart play.

Lorch only lasted an hour before being substituted by another debutant in Argentine attacker Matias Esquivel. Allende broke the deadlock in the 76th minute but their lead lasted only four minutes. Boutouil Abdelmounaim brought down Thapelo Xoki inside the box. The defender got up to slot past Williams from the spot.

It was a cagey affair in the opening 15 minutes as neither side really took control of the game.

Pirates created half chances but failed to trouble Williams as he saved from his Bafana Bafana teammate Evidence Makgopa and Xoki.

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Shalulile should have opened the scoring but his glancing header went inches wide of Sipho Chaine’s after a good cross from the right by Thapelo Morena on the half hour mark.

It was a game Sundowns will feel they should have won but at the end of the day, they had to settle for a share of the spoils.