From the free-kick, Kabelo Dlamini struck the crossbar.
That Pirates went to the break at 0-0 did not seem reason for panic. The player advantage seemed to bode well for them in the second 45 minutes.
Stellenbosch are a famously tight-knit outfit, though. Steve Barker's side fought a war of attrition to salvage something from the game after the break.
From a corner, Nkosinathi Sinisi saw a shot blocked. In the 77th Relebohile Mofokeng, after a snappy one-two, forced a save from Oscarine Masuluke from the edge of the box.
Bucs keeper Sipho Chaine had to be alert stopping a powerful, skidding drive from range by Nigerian defender Kazie Godswill.
Pirates could not get the breakthrough and had to settle for a share of the spoils,
Pirates lose more ground to Sundowns being held by 10-man Stellies
Barker’s team suffer red card in the 34th minute but hold on for a point
Image: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Orlando Pirates could not engineer the breakthrough they needed against a determined, 10-man Stellenbosch FC and had to settle for a 0-0 Betway Premiership draw at Athlone Stadium, losing ground on leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Stellies played two-thirds of Tuesday night's game a player down after losing defender Brian Onyango to a red card in the 35th minute.
Pirates huffed and puffed but could not produce quite enough chances, also striking the woodwork soon after Onyango's dismissal, to blow through Steve Barker's resolute Stellies.
The first draw of the season for the Buccaneers (40 points from 18 games) saw Sundowns (58 from 22), who beat AmaZulu 2-0 in Pretoria, extend their lead to 18 points. Pirates have four games in hand.
In a tight first half, Pirates' best chance came soon after the red card for Stellies.
Bucs striker Tshegofatso Mabasa cantered through onto a long ball and was clattered down by centreback Onyango.
Stellenbosch were angered at refereeing decisions going against them in their 3-1 Nedbank Cup quarterfinal defeat against Kaizer Chiefs in Gqeberha on Saturday. On Tuesday night, after awarding the free-kick and then taking time to deliberate, referee Jelly Chavani seemed to get it right as he produced red for the Kenyan defender.
From the free-kick, Kabelo Dlamini struck the crossbar.
That Pirates went to the break at 0-0 did not seem reason for panic. The player advantage seemed to bode well for them in the second 45 minutes.
Stellenbosch are a famously tight-knit outfit, though. Steve Barker's side fought a war of attrition to salvage something from the game after the break.
From a corner, Nkosinathi Sinisi saw a shot blocked. In the 77th Relebohile Mofokeng, after a snappy one-two, forced a save from Oscarine Masuluke from the edge of the box.
Bucs keeper Sipho Chaine had to be alert stopping a powerful, skidding drive from range by Nigerian defender Kazie Godswill.
Pirates could not get the breakthrough and had to settle for a share of the spoils,
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