Orlando Pirates held by AmaZulu in Betway Premiership draw

Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu surrendered ground at the top of the Betway Premiership after drawing 1-1 in a chilly encounter at Kings Park Stadium on Wednesday night.

Pirates went ahead in the first half through Tshepang Moremi, but AmaZulu restored parity when Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

The result means both sides missed the opportunity to strengthen their positions near the top of the league table, with the teams unable to find a winner in the second half.

AmaZulu goalkeeper Faveur Kouassi endured a difficult moment early in the match. The relatively unknown Ivorian, who is in his debut season in South Africa, failed to deal convincingly with a routine-looking shot and parried it into the path of advancing Pirates players inside the penalty area.

The loose ball fell to Moremi, who made no mistake from close range. His finish put Orlando Pirates in front and came against his former club, adding to AmaZulu’s frustration.

Kouassi is likely to face increased scrutiny after the error, having only recently begun his career in South African football. The mistake gave Pirates the opening they needed in a match played in cold conditions in Durban.

AmaZulu did manage to respond before the interval. Ngwenya sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot with what was effectively the final kick of the first half, bringing Usuthu level.

The match followed contrasting starts to the season for the two clubs. Both opened their league campaigns with victories, as Orlando Pirates defeated Milford FC 2-0 and AmaZulu beat Stellenbosch FC 1-0.

Their progress in the MTN8 has differed, however. Pirates have reached the semi-finals after edging Durban City 2-1 in Orlando. That victory left them two matches away from defending the competition for a third successive time.

Wednesday’s fixture was also Orlando Pirates’ third consecutive match against opposition from KwaZulu-Natal since the campaign began. The province has five clubs in the Premiership, meaning other teams could encounter similarly concentrated runs of regional fixtures during the season.

Orlando Pirates’ dominance over AmaZulu on a cold Durban evening suggested that the number of KwaZulu-Natal clubs may not necessarily provide an advantage to the sides from the region, although it remains early in the campaign.

AmaZulu might also feel aggrieved by a significant refereeing decision in the first half. Their 35th-minute goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside, denying them an earlier equaliser.

Had the goal stood, and with Ngwenya later scoring from the penalty spot, AmaZulu would have gone into the interval 2-1 ahead rather than level. The decision therefore had a major effect on the shape of the contest.

Further controversy followed after Ngwenya avoided a clear red card. The incident was described as similar to one involving Lionel Messi against Algeria during the recent World Cup.

Despite the disputed calls and the early goalkeeping error, neither team could claim all three points. The draw left Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu sharing the spoils while both continued their pursuit of a strong start in the Betway Premiership.