Orlando Pirates were held to a frustrating goalless draw by a resilient Stellenbosch side, who played with ten men for the entire second half, in a Betway Premiership match at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night.

The draw sees Pirates, currently second in the table, lose further ground to Mamelodi Sundowns, who extended their lead to 18 points at the top after a 2-0 victory over AmaZulu. It should be noted that Sundowns have played four more games.

Despite their efforts, Pirates struggled to break down a resolute Stellenbosch defense, which will undoubtedly please coach Steve Barker.

This result means Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is still searching for his first league win against Stellenbosch in Cape Town, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, this may have been his last opportunity.

Pirates’ only victory in Cape Town against Stellenbosch came in the 2023 MTN8 semi-final first leg. They later won the same competition against Stellenbosch in Durban in October, in a match marred by controversy.

Pirates’ last league win over Stellenbosch in Cape Town was in November 2021, when Deon Hotto scored a brace and Collins Makgaka added another, under the co-coaching of Fadlu Davids and Mandla Ncikazi.

While Pirates prevailed in the MTN8 this season, Stellenbosch defeated the Soweto giants in the league match, with Devin Titus scoring the decisive goal in the reverse fixture. This means Stellenbosch have secured four points against Pirates this season, having taken six last term.

As anticipated, the match was highly competitive, reflecting Stellenbosch’s recent improvement under coach Barker.

Clear-cut chances were scarce, but the game’s major talking point occurred in the 35th minute when Brian Onyango was sent off. He appeared to have impeded Tshegofatso Mabasa, who was through on goal. Referee Jelly Chavani initially issued a yellow card but, after consulting his assistant, changed his decision to a red card. The decision was debatable.

Kabelo Dlamini’s resulting free kick rattled the crossbar. This added to Barker’s frustration, following his feeling that Stellenbosch were hard done by in their Nedbank Cup quarter-final loss to Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.

With a numerical advantage, Pirates increased their pressure on the Stellenbosch defense, who were content to clear the ball.

Despite their dominance, Pirates failed to score in the first half.

Relebohile Mofokeng, entrusted with unlocking the defense, nearly created a goal-scoring opportunity early in the second half. He delivered a cross, and Nkosinathi Sibisi’s shot was blocked by a cluster of defenders.

As Pirates struggled to find a breakthrough, the packed Athlone Stadium crowd grew increasingly frustrated.

In the 76th minute, Mofokeng combined with Deano van Rooyen, and his shot forced Oscarine Masuluke to parry the ball away.

Two minutes later, Mabasa’s header was correctly ruled offside.

As Pirates pushed for a winner, Kazie Enyinnaya’s swerving shot almost caught Sipho Chaine off guard, but the goalkeeper made a save. Stellenbosch remained resolute, securing a valuable point and maintaining their third-place position.