#BetwayPrem: Orlando Pirates strike late, Mamelodi Sundowns survive red card drama
The Betway Premiership lit up Wednesday night with drama, resilience, and late heroics as the title race continued to intensify. Orlando Pirates broke Polokwane City hearts with a stoppage-time winner, while Mamelodi Sundowns overcame a red card setback to grind out a crucial victory against Golden Arrows.
At the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Orlando Pirates left it late to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Polokwane City. The Buccaneers struck first when Relebohile Mofokeng found the net in the 53rd minute, giving the visitors the advantage. Polokwane City fought back and leveled matters through Bonginkosi Dlamini in the 86th minute, sparking hopes of a famous result for the home side.
But Pirates, fresh from their emphatic 3-0 Soweto Derby win, showed their resilience once again. Deep into stoppage time, Patrick Maswanganyi delivered the killer blow in the 90+1st minute, silencing the home crowd and sending the Buccaneers faithful into raptures. It was a performance full of grit and determination, keeping Pirates’ winning momentum alive and their title ambitions firmly on track.
At the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Mamelodi Sundowns showed why they remain firmly in the title race, grinding out a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Golden Arrows despite being reduced to ten men. Teboho Mokoena broke the deadlock in the 28th minute with a well-taken strike, and Ashley Rayners doubled the advantage shortly after halftime in the 47th minute.
The game took a dramatic turn when J. Adams was shown a straight red card in the 50th minute, forcing Sundowns to play the remainder of the match with ten men. Golden Arrows seized the opportunity to push forward and were rewarded when S. Junior Dion converted a penalty in the 76th minute to set up a tense finish. Despite the setback, Sundowns displayed grit and determination, holding firm under pressure to secure all three points.
The Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal witnessed a cagey affair as AmaZulu FC and Magesi FC battled to a 0-0 draw. Both sides struggled to break down stubborn defenses, leaving the fans frustrated but acknowledging the effort on display.
In Durban, at Chatsworth Stadium, Durban City FC and Sekhukhune United shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. The visitors showed resilience after their 3-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria, while Durban City built on momentum from their recent away win over Marumo Gallants.
Finally, in East London at Buffalo City Stadium, Marumo Gallants bounced back in style with a commanding 3-1 victory over Chippa United. After their disappointing home defeat to Durban City FC, Gallants roared back to life, while Chippa’s struggles continued following their goalless draw against Golden Arrows.