Drama as Pirates held by last-placed Spurs ahead of Soweto derby

Orlando Pirates missed a chance to move to second place in the DStv Premiership when they lost concentration and gave away another DStv Premiership point to bottom-placed rookies Cape Town Spurs.

But Pirates will be aggrieved of being denied a penalty in the last minute of their 1-1 draw at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night as striker Zakhele Lepasa was fouled inside the area but the referee waved play on.

The match ended in some drama as the two coaches, Spaniard Jose Riveiro of Pirates and German Ernst Middendorp of Spurs, seemed to nearly come to blows as they argued over the decision.

Relebogile Mofokeng's superb 13th-minute strike seemed to have secured Bucs the spoils but Spurs' Tanzanian-born midfielder Gadiel Kamagi cancelled Bucs' lead with a scorcher 14 minutes from time after receiving a delightful pass from fellow substitute Bradley Ralani. 

Pirates' 19-year-old attacker Mofokeng opened his league account with a beauty after combining with Bucs' new midfielder Thalente Mbatha, who delivered an incisive pass for Mofokeng to beat Neil Boshoff in Spurs' goal. 

Spurs beat Pirates 3-2 earlier this season in a shock result as the Cape side were struggling to register points after gaining promotion last season. That remains only one of three victories to the rookies.

On Wednesday night Spurs against refused to be completely dominated by Pirates and duly earned their deserved point when Kamagi beat Sipho Chaine with a long-range strike. 

The draw is a major setback in a few ways for Pirates, who meet arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The Buccaneers would have started as favourites to complete a double over Chiefs on Saturday, but now Amakhosi, who won their first league match this year beating Lamontville Golden Arrows 1-0 on Tuesday, will fancy their chances.

A win for Pirates over Spurs would have also strengthened their chances of finishing second in the Premiership and booking a spot in next year's Caf Champions League.

The draw left Bucs in the fifth spot and 12 points behind runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. The Brazilians have three games in hand after their match against TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday was postponed due to the accident Galaxy's team bus had on their way to Mpumalanga on Tuesday.

Despite Spurs' best efforts to make a fight of it in Orlando, Pirates did dominate play against and could have scored an avalanche of goals if they were not wasteful in front of goal.

Riveiro rested Bafana Bafana striker Evidence Makgopa and started with Tshegofatso Mabasa, who is still trying to find his feet back at Bucs after retuning from a loan spell at Moroka Swallows.

Spurs (11 points) remain bottom of the log but after collecting four points in the last two matches Middendorp will feel his team close to catching 15th-placed Richards Bay (13 points), who suffered a 3-0 defeat to Chippa United on Wednesday. The two bottom sides are now separated by two points.