Sundowns and Pirates play goalless in SA Premiership restart

The anticipation outweighed the end product as Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates both failed to deliver a goal in their 0-0 draw in the first SA Premiership after the restart at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday.

It was the first league match in five months since the interruption due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

A point takes Sundowns up to 45 points, three points behind league leaders Kaizer Chiefs but now having played the same number of games as the Soweto club. Pirates move up to third following the stalemate.

It took 23 minutes before the first shot on goal was registered by either outfit. Sphelele Mkhulise found space down the right flank and picked out Themba Zwane whose shot was well saved by Wayne Sandilands at his near post.

Pirates’ first real chance almost resulted in a goal in the 57th minute. Fortune Makaringe burst through the heart of the Sundowns defence and looked sure to score, but Denis Onyango’s fingertips pushed the ball onto the woodwork and away from danger.

Luvuyo Memela made the desired impact off the bench and forced another save out of Onyango in the 68th minute.

Pirates continued to create the better of the chances and should’ve opened the scoring seven minutes later, but Ntsikelelo Nyauza failed to hit the target with his header from close range.

The Buccaneers continued to knock on Onyango’s door and Paseka Mako looked sure to break the deadlock in the 85th minute after dancing his way past Ricardo Nascimento and into the penalty area, but he could only manage to drag his resulting left-footed shot wide of goal with only the goalkeeper to beat.

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo