Orlando Pirates secured a 1-0 victory over SuperSport United on Tuesday evening, marking their return to winning form in the Betway Premiership.
For this fixture, interim coach Mandla Ncikazi introduced Siyabonga Dladla for his senior debut, coinciding with the goalkeeper's 24th birthday.
Additionally, Thalente Mbatha was reinstated into the starting XI, replacing the suspended Mofokeng following the previous weekend's draw against TS Galaxy.
Heading into the match, SuperSport were aiming for a win that would extend their lead to three points over the relegation play-off position. They also held the advantage of having played two fewer games than Cape Town City.
The initial stages of the first half were evenly contested. For the first 20 minutes, neither team managed to create any clear-cut scoring chances, and surprisingly, SuperSport didn't apply any notable pressure on debutant Dladla.
This pattern largely persisted throughout the first half. However, five minutes before halftime, SuperSport finally broke the stalemate with an opportunity. Aphiwe Baliti did well to find Lebohang Maboe, who, despite being in a good position inside the box, blazed his shot over the crossbar.
SuperSport goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa had a comfortable first half, as the Buccaneers struggled to create any real chances for Tshegofatso Mabasa, leaving Mbanjwa untested.
The second half was more dynamic, generating a few scoring opportunities. In the 56th minute, Pirates almost scored when Mabasa set up Mohau Nkota, but Mbanjwa quickly came off his line to deny him.
Both teams made substitutions around the 60-minute mark: Karim Kimvuidi replaced Kabelo Dlamini for Pirates, and Bradley Grobler came on for Keanin Ayer for SuperSport.
Pirates' substitute had an immediate impact. Kimvuidi drove forward and set up Nkota, who cut inside and fired past Mbanjwa for his third goal.
SuperSport nearly equalised late on when Pogiso Sanoka's cross found Nyiko Mobbie, whose powerful header struck the post, leaving Dladla stranded. But Pirates held on, securing three points and a clean sheet for Dladla. SuperSport remained in 14th place.
