Mamelodi Sundowns and ten-man Orlando Pirates settled for a share of the spoils in a feisty DStv Premiership clash on Saturday evening.
Big signing Thembinkosi Lorch made his Sundowns debut, with Divine Lungu and Bathusi Aubaas given rare appearances too, as Pirates welcomed back Sipho Chaine before showing starts to Monnapule Saleng and Makhehleni Makhaula.
It wasn’t a free-flowing opening as a number of strong challenges from either side marred the earlier exchanges and reduced the goal-mouth activity.
Pirates did have the first chance over ten minutes in when Bafana Bafana striker Evidence Makgopa leaned to the shoulder of the area to curl in a shot, but Ronwen Williams pulled a save.
Masandawana contained the pressure and came close to the lead on the half-hour mark where Peter Shalulile headed wide from a move involving Lorch.
The second half started the same as the first which saw the Buccaneers reduced to ten players after Miguel Timm saw red for lashing out at Williams.
At the other end, Sundowns went close from a route one to Shalulile but the Namibian slammed wide with the goal right in plain sight.
Masandawana introduced new Argentine signing Matis Esquivel in the place of Aubaas, while Sipho Mbule replaced Lorch in a double substitution.
Esquivel showed lots of energy and drew a cutback from the edge of the box before curling wide of the top corner shortly after coming on.
Sundowns made the breakthrough in the last 15 minutes after Marcelo Allende took Lucas Ribeiro Costa’s pass in his stride and thumped in the near post.
The Buccaneers were given a penalty a minute later when Thapelo Xoki went down from Abdelmounaim Boutoil’s challenge and executed it to level matters.
With the tie poised, both sides fancied the winner in the remaining minutes but 1-1 were the final score in Tshwane.
Confirmed line-ups:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Morena, Boutouil, Lunga, Lebusa, Aubaas, Mkhulise, Allende, Lorch, Ribeiro, Shalulile
Subs: D. Onyango, B. Onyango, Mdunyelwa, Maboe, Mbule, Mendieta, Esquivel, Nku, Sirino
Orlando Pirates: Chaine, Maela, Xoki, Ndah, Monyane, Timm, Makhaula, Hotto, Maswanganyi, Saleng, Makgopa
Subs: Buthelezi, Sibisi, Lebitso, Mbatha, Ndlondlo, Kimvuidi, Pule, Mofokeng, Marou
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