Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City played out to an entertaining 2-2 draw in their DStv Premiership encounter on Saturday afternoon.
Pirates came into the game looking to continue their positive start to the season, but came up against a City side who have also been in good form since the start of the season.
Josef Zinnbauer’s side looked to start on the front foot, with an early opportunity to open the scoring when Zakhele Lepasa sent through Deon Hotto, but the Namibian failed to hit the target with his effort.
The Sea Robbers were quickly made to rue that missed chance as, with six minutes gone, Craig Martin received the ball from Mduduzi Mdantsane in the box before turning and striking a curled effort past Richard Ofori, who stood little chance.
Pirates, though, hit back quickly after 11 minutes with a swift counter-attack when Lepasa delicately played through Hotto, whose powerful effort was palmed by Leeuwenburgh into the path of Vincent Pule, who produced a simple tap into a gaping net.
The Soweto giants then almost fired in return when Fortune Makaringe drilled in a low hard cross at the front post, met by Lepasa, but Leeuwenburgh was well positioned to make a save with his legs.
Pirates were in the ascendency and had another chance to grab the lead when Hotto found Ben Motshwari at the back post, but his effort lacked the power and allowed centre back Abubaker Mobara to clear his effort off the line.
Despite all their chances, Pirates would go into the break behind after former Buccaneer Mobara scored a contender for goal of the season. He curled an effort with the outside of his foot that left Ofori clutching at thin air as the men from the Mother City took the lead into half time.
It was 2-1 to the Citizens at the break.
Pirates didn’t take long in the second half to draw level as they broke from a City corner streaming upfield, with Lepasa eventually laying the ball off to Pule who bagged his second and pulled his side level with 66 minutes gone.
Pirates almost took the lead 10 minutes later when in-form Tshegofatso Mabasa was brought on to the pitch, but his effort hit the post with the goal gaping.
Pirates kept searching for the winner as they pushed while City looked dangerous on the counter-attack, however, neither side could find a way to goal and had to settle for the draw.
