Cape Town City continued their impressive run in the Betway Premiership with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Orlando Pirates at the Cape Town Stadium. Darwin Gonzalez was once again the hero for City, scoring the decisive goal to secure all three points for his team.
With this win, Cape Town City moved up to sixth place on the log with 17 points from 12 matches. On the other hand, Orlando Pirates remained in second place with 27 points from 11 games, three points behind the league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
The match was a thrilling encounter, with both teams playing attacking football and creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities. The Buccaneers dominated the first half and had several chances to take the lead, but they were unable to find the back of the net.
Relebohile Mofokeng and Kabelo Dlamini came close to scoring for Pirates in the first half, but City goalkeeper Darren Keet made some crucial saves to keep his team in the game. Thalente Mbatha also tested Keet with a long-range effort, but the experienced goalkeeper was up to the task.
In the second half, City coach Muhsin Ertugral made two changes to his team, bringing on Thabo Nodada and Jaeden Rhodes. Pirates coach also made changes, bringing in Thabiso Monyane and Boitumelo Radiopane.
Pirates were awarded a penalty in the 69th minute after Tshegofatso Nyama fouled Patrick Maswanganyi in the box. However, Maswanganyi’s spot-kick hit the upright, squandering a golden opportunity for Pirates to take the lead.
City capitalized on this miss, with Gonzalez scoring the winning goal in the 74th minute. The Venezuelan midfielder’s deflected shot beat Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, sealing a vital victory for Cape Town City.
The match was a testament to the competitiveness of the Betway Premiership, with both teams showcasing their quality and determination. City’s win sees them climbing up the league table, while Pirates will be left ruing their missed chances.
