League Title Must Go Down To The Wire – Pitso On Ruining Pirates’ Soweto Title Party
Durban City coach Pitso Dladla insists that their hard-fought goalless draw against Orlando Pirates—which severely dented the Soweto giants’ title aspirations—was motivated by a desire to ensure the league championship goes down to the wire on the final matchday.
Dladla, who guided City to their maiden top-flight silverware with a historic Nedbank Cup triumph earlier this month, emphasized that the dramatic nature of the current campaign is a massive victory for local football, stating that fans deserve to see the league title—and every other major position—decided on the final day.
Pirates explicitly needed a victory on home soil to keep the championship destiny firmly in their own hands. However, a resolute City backline refused to give the Sea Robbers a clear sniff of goal, leaving goalkeeper Fredrick Asare largely untested throughout the goalless draw.
Sphamandla Ncanana, one of the primary breakout stars of City’s incredible season, marshaled the defensive unit with absolute authority. His commanding performance earned him the Man of the Match accolade after successfully neutralizing Pirates’ usually potent frontline.
Notably, the stalemate marked the first time this season that Pirates failed to score a single league goal at their iconic Soweto venue.
Prior to this fixture, the Buccaneers had scored in 14 consecutive domestic home matches at Orlando Amstel Arena this season; Durban City became the first visiting club in the calendar year to keep a clean sheet in Soweto.
The Buccaneers have one final chance to clinch the league crown when they travel to face Orbit College at a sold-out Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. A victory in Nelspruit will officially guarantee Pirates their first league championship since the 2011/12 season.
“To be honest, I try — or rather, we try — to stay away from such comments as much as possible because we know a league title involves a lot of emotions,” said Dladla when asked about the frustration among Pirates supporters following City’s display.
“We just stay in our lane and make sure we focus on our own games. The only thing one can say is that we have had an exciting league season, where most, if not all, positions will be decided on the final day, just like the title race.
“You are talking about the top eight being decided on the last day, and the relegation battle also being decided on the last day.
“I think that is what the supporters want.”
While Orlando Pirates look to put Orbit College to the sword and lift their fifth PSL-era league title, Durban City will conclude their fairytale debut season with a highly anticipated Durban derby against AmaZulu at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday.
City enter that season finale brimming with confidence. Beyond their tactical masterclass against Pirates, the newly promoted side boasts an incredible home record at Chatsworth Stadium, having suffered only a single league defeat at the venue all season.
