City Hands Pirates Second League Defeat Of The Season
Muhsin Ertugral made it two wins out of two as Cape Town City coach with their impressive 1-0 win in the Betway Premiership over Orlando Pirates at the DHL Stadium on Wednesday, securing their second consecutive triumph over Soweto giants after previously defeating Kaizer Chiefs by the same scoreline.
Coming into the match, the Citizens were riding high from their morale-boosting win against Chiefs, while Pirates arrived equally confident after a dominant 3-0 CAF Champions League victory over Stade D’Abidjan.
The encounter began at a blistering pace, with both sides showcasing attacking intent. Pirates nearly broke the deadlock early on when Kabelo Dlamini unleashed a venomous strike from outside the box, but Darren Keet produced a spectacular fingertip save to deflect the ball onto the crossbar.
City, despite their energetic start, soon retreated into a disciplined low block, soaking up pressure from the Buccaneers. Their only notable first-half chance fell to Darwin Gonzalez, who pounced on a defensive lapse, but Sipho Chaine reacted brilliantly to deny him. The sides went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.
At the restart, Cape Town City introduced Jaeden Rhodes and Thabo Nodada in place of Moegammad Domingo and Kamohelo Mokotjo, hoping to inject fresh energy into their midfield.
Despite the changes, Pirates remained relentless in their pursuit of the opener. Their attacking pressure paid off when Tito Maswanganyi was brought down in the box by Tshegofatso Nyama, earning the visitors a golden opportunity from the penalty spot.
However, Maswanganyi’s effort struck the post despite sending Keet the wrong way, leaving Pirates to rue a missed chance.
The miss would prove costly. In the 75th minute, Darwin Gonzalez capitalized on a deflected cross, firing a shot that ricocheted off Thabiso Sesane and into the back of the net. It was a second goal by Gonzalez in a space of the few days after scoring the winner when City beat Chiefs on Sunday.
With the lead secured, City retreated into a compact defensive shape, frustrating Pirates with disciplined defending and launching occasional counter-attacks.
Darren Keet stood tall in goal, producing multiple key saves to preserve City’s advantage and ensure they claimed all three points.
The victory marks a significant statement of intent from Etugral’s side, who have now defeated both Soweto giants in quick succession. For Pirates, it’s a frustrating setback in their domestic campaign as they chase Mamelodi Sundowns at the top, but they shift focus back to continental duties against CR Belouizdad this coming weekend.
