ORLANDO Pirates boosted their Betway Premiership title chances.
They secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Richards Bay FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Wednesday evening, 11 March.
The Buccaneers went into the clash under pressure after defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns moved to the top of the table on Tuesday night with a 2-0 win over Orbit College FC.
With the league race tightening, Pirates knew they had to respond, and they did in front of a lively home crowd at the Orlando Amstel Arena.
The match started at a high tempo as the Sea Robbers pushed forward in search of an early goal, while the Natal Rich Boyz showed determination to hold their ground and frustrate the hosts.
Despite windy conditions, supporters came out in numbers and created a buzzing atmosphere in the stands. Fans sang, beat drums and cheered loudly throughout the match, playing the role of the "12th man" as Pirates pressed forward.
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Their persistence finally paid off in the 27th minute. Oswin Appollis found the breakthrough after connecting with a brilliant cross from Kamogelo Sebelebele, calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper to give the Buccaneers the lead.
Pirates went into the halftime break with a narrow 1-0 advantage.
The second half saw the home side continue to dominate possession as they searched for a second goal to secure the match. Richards Bay tried to stay compact at the back but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.
Late in the game, young star Relebohile Mofokeng nearly doubled the lead with a powerful long-range effort, but his shot crashed against the crossbar, denying Pirates a spectacular goal.
However, the Buccaneers eventually sealed the win in stoppage time. Tshepang Moremi was brought down inside the box in the dying moments of the match. Evidence Makgopa stepped up and calmly converted the penalty in the 94th minute to make it 2-0.
The victory sees Pirates climb to the top of the Betway Premiership standings, level on points with Sundowns as the thrilling title race heads towards its final stretch.
