Mosele comes off the bench to keep Pirates in title race

Goodman Mosele marked his comeback to Orlando Pirates’ line-up with a priceless late goal that kept alive the Sea Robbers’ hopes of challenging Mamelodi Sundowns for the Betway Premiership title. 

The grit with which Pirates grinded this victory, coming from behind to beat Cape Town City 2-1, is what they’ll hang out to as they look to remain in the league race against a Sundowns side hellbent on winning this title for the eighth successive time. 

Mosele, who returned to Pirates at the start of this season injured from a loan spell at Chippa United, came off the bench to bundle in Relebohile Mofokeng’s corner kick three minutes from time when it looked like Pirates were going to be denied a 12th victory in 15 league games. 

Firstly, Pirates had to cancel out Hashim Domingo’s early goal, with Tshegofatso Mabasa’s 67th minute strike — a goal that Pirates had to fight hard to earn and involved another substitute Mohau Nkota delivering a decisive pass to Mabasa who beat Dareen Keet with a low shot for his fifth league goal of the season.  

Pirates started this match clearly under pressure to win and pushed in their numbers for the opening goal, before the visitors produced a sucker punch following a well-worked transition that ended with Domingo thundering the ball home after receiving a good pass from Prins Tjiueza. 

City remained a threat on transitions, often breaking Pirates’ poorly manned high line. But it was Pirates that had chances and possession, but couldn’t put them away until Nkota found the key to unlock City’s stubborn defence. 

Patrick Maswanganyi, who didn’t finish this match because of injury, and Mofokeng carried the bulk of Bucs' attacks, but it all ended in vain as they couldn’t beat Keet in City’s goal — right up until Mabasa fired a thunderbolt from inside the area. 

From then on, Pirates threw everything at City as they looked to avenge the defeat they suffered against Muhsin Ertugral's side in Cape Town early this year — but more importantly to keep Sundowns in their sights. 

Sundowns were to meet TS Galaxy late on Saturday and victory would have kept the Brazilians 12 points ahead of Pirates, who have three games in hand.  

This was the first league match for Pirates after suffering a 4-1 defeat away to Sundowns, their third league loss this season.  

Jose Riveiro’s side will look to keep the winning momentum when they visit Marumo Gallants in Free State on Saturday.

Having seen his side grind this result, Riveiro will be hoping to pick another three points against a team battling relegation and will have a new coach after they fired Dan "Dance" Malesela on Friday. 

To remain in this race, Pirates will need to find a way to avoid being punished through counters as Domingo’s goal was close to see City completing a double and dealing Pirates’ title chance a huge blow. 

But with Mosele’s strike Pirates remain in the hunt not only for the league but the Nedbank Cup, where they face SuperSport United in the last 8, and in the Caf Champions League, where they’ll meet Algerian side MC Alger in the quarterfinals in April.