Betway Premiership: Mofokeng shines as Orlando Pirates brush aside Durban City to go top

Relebohile Mofokeng produced a Man of the Match performance as he helped Orlando Pirates go three points clear at the top of the Betway Premiership table with a 2-0 win over Durban City in the first meeting between the two sides at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

The Buccaneers secured their 10th win in 13 matches this season and now sit on 28 points, extending their unbeaten run to 11 league games. Mofokeng was instrumental in the victory, creating the opener and driving Pirates’ attacking play throughout. However, Pirates will be without Patrick Maswanganyi in the upcoming Carling Knockout final after the midfielder picked up his fourth yellow card of the season, earning a one-match suspension.

Durban City suffered their third defeat in five games and remain eighth on the table with 19 points from 14 matches. The hosts started brightly and nearly opened the scoring in the third minute when Mfanafuthi Mkhize headed narrowly wide from a corner. Jean Lubumba also came close soon after, but Pirates punished their missed chances in the 23rd minute when Mofokeng’s precise cross found Evidence Makgopa, who calmly slotted home for his third league goal of the season.

Pirates continued to dominate and sealed the win in the 77th minute through a well-worked move. Nkosikhona Ndaba’s cross found Oswin Appollis, who laid the ball off for Maswanganyi to finish from close range. Durban City’s frustrations boiled over late on when captain Siphamandla Ncanana was sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time.

Durban City will play their final game of 2025 at Olympia Park in Rustenburg on Wednesday against Orbit College, while Pirates will look to end the year on a high by chasing their second piece of silverware in the Carling Knockout final against Marumo Gallants at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

How they lined-up?

Durban City XI: D. Keet, S. Ncanana, M. Mkhize, F. Gcaba (O. Nyulu 87’), T. Mashego, K. Jurgens, A. Jodwana, S. Maseko (L. Sifumba 87’), B. Mokwena (L. Koapeng 61’), H. Domingo, J. Lubumba (J. Kamatuka 61’) (S. Magawana 73’)

Orlando Pirates XI: S. Chaine, M. Mbokazi, N. Sibisi, T. Lebitso (D. van Rooyen 88’), N. Ndaba, T. Mbatha, M. Nemtajela (M. Makhaula 46’), P. Maswanganyi (K Dlamini 79’), R. Mofokeng, T. Moremi (O. Appollis 65’), E. Makgopa (Y. Mbuthuma 65’)