Pirates Miss Out On CAFCL Spot Again - iDiski Times

Orlando Pirates suffered a second successive defeat after going down 1-0 to TS Galaxy in their penultimate DStv Premiership encounter of the season at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The home side had a great chance to take a sixth-minute lead when Puso Dithejane found himself in a one-on-one situation but Mpho Chaine was quickly off his line to deny the former Kaizer Chiefs development player.

Patrick Maswanganyi almost scored the match’s opening goal after being teed up by Kabelo Dlamini with only the goalkeeper to beat but his tame shot sailed across the face of goal a few minutes later. 

Bafana Bafana youngster Relebohile Mofokeng missed a glorious chance shortly after. His shot looked well on target from just inside the 18-yard area but Rwandan shot-stopper Fiacre Ntwari palmed it away.  

On the other end of the field, Galaxy won a free-kick just outside the box only for Lehlohonolo Mojela’s goalbound shot to be deflected for a corner kick.

The last piece of action before end of the first-half would’ve seen the Buccaneers go ahead when Makhehleni Makhaula controlled the ball inside the box though he blazed it well off target with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Pirates turned up the heat in the second stanza with excellent all-round football but were again denied the lead when Tshegofatso Mabasa’s strike was thwarted by Ntwari.

The Rockets on the other hand grabbed their chance when it came in the 69th minute. Dithejane skinned Pirates defenders on the right hand side before finding an unmarked Sphiwe Mahlangu in the opposition box who slotted home from close range and sent the home fans into wild cheers.  

The defeat left Jose Riveiro’s charges in third spot going into the final match of the 2023/24 season against SuperSport United with CAF Champions League football still a huge possibility.