In the end, neither side could find a decisive breakthrough, and the match ended with honours even.
Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Orlando Pirates in an absorbing Betway Premiership encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.
Peter Shalulile fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, but a superb strike from youngster Cemran Dansin ensured the Buccaneers left Tshwane with a hard-fought point.
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Sundowns started brightly, dominating possession and pinning Pirates back in their own half with some slick passing. Their early pressure paid off in the 20th minute after Tshepang Moremi was dispossessed in midfield while attempting a square pass.Â
Nuno Santos reacted quickly to cut out the ball and released Arthur Sales, who played in Shalulile. The Namibian forward saw his first effort saved by Sipho Chaine but made no mistake from the rebound to hand the Brazilians the advantage.
Pirates, however, responded with purpose and began to find their attacking rhythm. Their equaliser arrived in the 34th minute through a moment of brilliance from Dansin. Sundowns failed to clear their lines from a corner kick and the 20-year-old midfielder pounced, unleashing a stunning left-footed volley from outside the box. The ball cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and over the line, leaving Ronwen Williams rooted to his line.
The goal lifted Pirates, who finished the first half the stronger side. They should have gone into the break ahead when Deon Hotto latched onto a precise ball over the top from Sipho Nduli in the 44th minute, only to blaze his effort over the bar from close range.
Pirates continued to create chances after the restart, with defender Lebone Seema denied by Williams in the 50th minute after finding himself one-on-one with the Sundowns keeper following another ball over the top.
The second half became a cagey affair as both teams tightened up defensively, wary of conceding late. Sundowns pushed forward in the closing stages, urged on by a vocal home crowd, but Pirates held firm to secure a valuable away point.
In the end, neither side could find a decisive breakthrough, and the match ended with honours even. While Sundowns will feel they could have wrapped up the points early, Pirates will take confidence from a resilient display against the reigning champions.
