Orlando Pirates saw their winning streak come to an end as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Maritzburg United at the Orlando Stadium in their Absa Premiership encounter on Saturday night.

Milutin Sredojevic’s team came into the game top of the league and were looking to pull further away from the chasing pack by picking up a vital three points.

Fadlu Davids’ team, on the other hand, were also desperate for a result, but for a whole different reason with the Team of Choice sitting second bottom of the log at kick-off.

The home side started the game on the front foot and came close to opening the scoring through Justin Shonga with just 11 minutes played, but the Zambian’s low strike was expertly saved by Richard Ofori.

Maritzburg then had a chance of their own to break the deadlock, but this time it was the Pirates keeper Siyabonga Mpontshane who showed his quality with a great save to deny Fortune Makaringe.

Pirates were controlling possession and finding spaces, but were being let down by some wasteful finishing.

Andrea Fileccia then had the real chance of the half eight minutes before half-time, but somehow managed to blast his shot from inside the six-yard box.

It remained 0-0 at the break with the game firmly in the balance.

Both teams struggled to play with any real tempo at the start of the second half as chances were proving hard to come by.

Pirates were threatening, but whenever they had a sniff at goal Ofori was in the right place to make the save.

The away side were looking to hit Pirates on the break and came within inches of opening the scoring when Deolin Mekoa rattled the outside of the post with a ferocious strike from distance.

As time went by the game became tighter and tighter, and despite both managers making attacking substitutions, neither team could find a way to goal.

The final score: 0-0 at the Orlando Stadium.