Orlando Pirates were held to a goalless draw by Golden Arrows at the Orlando Stadium in their Absa Premiership encounter on Wednesday evening, writes DEAN WORKMAN.
Coming into the encounter, Pirates were looking to go back to the top of the Absa Premiership with three points against Abafana Bes’thende after three wins and a draw in their previous four league games.
Arrows, on the other hand, were looking for only their second win of the season, with their only victory coming all the way back at the start of their first game of the season against Maritzburg United. Since then Clinton Larsen’s men have picked up three draws and have lost on three occasions.
Last season the Buccaneers drew their home fixture against Arrows, and although they won away from home in their second encounter, a home victory this season would have undoubtedly been the target for Milutin Sredojevic and his team.
Pirates got off to a good start and went close to opening the scoring with just three minutes played, but Xola Mlambo’s powerful drive flew just wide.
The Buccaneers were dominating possession but were met by stubborn resistance from Arrows who were prepared to sit back and try to be difficult to break down.
Arrows, despite not seeing much of the ball, still created chances and with 15 minutes gone Danny Phiri broke into the box, but his low effort failed to hit the target.
Sredojevic’s men were struggling to create clear-cut chances and while Happy Jele hit the side-netting with a volley following a corner, neither side looked like breaking the deadlock.
Goaless at the break with the game firmly in the balance.
It was much of the same in the second stanza as the game quickly fell into the same pattern as the first, Pirates with plenty of the ball and Larsen’s men looking to contain them.
Vincent Pule came close for the Soweto giants, but his effort was well saved by Nkosingiphile Gumede with 75 minutes played.
Pirates then threw men forward as they went in search of a winner. It, however, never came as Pirates missed the chance to go back to the summit of the Absa Premiership log.
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