Orlando Pirates dropped two valuable points at home when they were held to a goalless draw by Maritzburg United in an Absa Premiership match played at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday night.
Both teams finished the game with 10 men after Bucs captain Happy Jele and the Team of Choice’s midfielder Kwanda Mngonyama were sent off having received two yellow cards.
Pirates had chances to clinch the three points, with a second strike that bounced off the goal line after hitting the crossbar the closest of them all. Bucs head coach Rhulani Mokwena was left to rue the missed chances again.
United were not at their best in this game, they did have some few chances but spent the better part of the game on the back foot.
Credit should also go to their goalkeeper Richard Ofori who produced some great saves and deservedly walked away with the man of the match award. United head coach Eric Tinkler says they missed an opportunity to hurt Pirates on Tuesday night.
With this point, Pirates have now moved to seventh on the log, with 13 points from 10 matches, they are nine points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who have a game in hand (Chiefs are way to Chippa United on Wednesday night).
Bucs have only won two of their last nine matches in the league and only of those wins was at home but Mokwena has defended their home record.
Coming to this game, United had won five straight games including the two Telkom Knockout wins on penalties.
It’s a far cry from the team that was on a five-game winless streak at the beginning of the season, with three losses and two draws. They have now produced four clean sheets in their last four league games and Tinkler says this is another huge factor.
With Cape Town City firing Benni McCarthy earlier this week, it was a reminder that clubs won’t tolerate indifferent results and as we head into another FIFA international week, Mokwena admits that coaches are judged on results. – Report by Velile Mnyandu
