Woodwork foils Orlando Pirates as title hopes suffer blow
Title-chasing Orlando Pirates were denied twice by the woodwork when held 0-0 at lowly SuperSport United Wednesday in the ABSA Premiership.
Mpho Makola was the unlucky 'Buccaneer' on both occasions during the first half as a shot from outside the box hit the crossbar and a close-range effort came back off the post.
Pirates camped in the SuperSport half during the second half at Mbombela Stadium in northeastern city Nelspruit, but a Clayton Daniels-inspired defence kept them at bay.
"It was a collective effort tonight," said man-of-the-match winner Daniels. "We needed characters and had plenty of them."
The result left Pirates three points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns as the title race enters the final straight.
Record seven-time Premiership champions Sundowns have 49 points from 25 matches and Pirates 46 from 26.
Sundowns have three home and two away fixtures remaining while Pirates host two matches and travel twice.
"This result does not mean anything," was the strange reaction of Pirates Serbia-born coach Milutin "Micho" Sredojevic to the stalemate.
Dropping two points against a club third from bottom of the 16-club championship was clearly a major blow for Pirates as they seek a first title since 2012.
"I am so proud of my team for the effort they put in and the respect they showed for the jersey," said a coach in his second spell at the Soweto club.
Deadpan Sredojevic has consistently refused in media interviews to accept that his team are title challengers.
"We are looking at Mamelodi Sundowns as absolute favourites to win the league. They are ahead of us and have a game in hand," he said recently.
Nevertheless, the wish of the Serb to compete in Africa seems virtually certain to be realised.
Finishing first or second earns a 2019 CAF Champions League place and coming third would take Pirates into the CAF Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.
The happiness of SuperSport at holding Pirates was partly diluted when they heard second-from-bottom Ajax Cape Town won 1-0 at home to outgoing champions Wits.
Ivorian Yannick Zakri -- on loan from Sundowns -- scored the only goal on 26 minutes after sprinting from the centre circle on to a through ball.
Platinum Stars have 21 points, Ajax 27 and SuperSport 28 with the last club automatically relegated and the second-last side going into play-offs.