Bucs and United edge ahead of Chiefs in race for second

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Apr 09, 2023. 20:03

Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United have edged ahead of Kaizer Chiefs in the race to be the DStv Premiership’s ‘best of the rest’, following a full weekend of action in South Africa’s top flight.

SuperSport got the round going on Friday with a 2-0 home win over TS Galaxy in which Sipheshile Ndlovu and Bradley Grobler scored the goals, lifting them to P2 on the log.

Pirates responded on Saturday evening and reclaimed second spot, on goal difference, with a 2-0 triumph at Chippa United, courtesy of strikes from Kabelo Dlamini and Thembinkosi Lorch.

Chiefs, looking to keep it a three-way tie in the race for second, needed to defeat Marumo Gallants at home on Saturday night, and looked to be on course thanks to Ashley Du Preez’s early strike.

However, Bahlabane Ba Ntwa kept up their promising recent form and secured a 1-1 draw via Ranga Chivaviro’s equaliser.

The point was enough to lift Gallants off the foot of the log, with Maritzburg United dropping into P16 thanks to an earlier 1-0 loss at Sekhukhune United. Saturday also saw Richards Bay’s terrible run of form continue, as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Golden Arrows in a KwaZulu-Natal derby – a seventh straight league loss (and 10 matches without a win across all competitions) for the top-flight rookies.

Sunday afternoon saw champions Mamelodi Sundowns play to a second successive 0-0 draw, as they were held by hosts Swallows FC at the Dobsonville Stadium, while at the same time Royal AM returned to winning form with a 3-1 trouncing of Stellenbosch FC, courtesy of strikes from Elias Pelembe, Mthokozisi Dube and Shaune Mogaila.

The round closed out on Sunday evening with a thrilling 2-2 draw between Cape Town City and AmaZulu. The Citizens looked in complete control with a 2-0 lead established by strikes from Khanyisa Mayo and Darwin Gonzalez, but a red card midway through the second half for Thabo Nodada handed Usuthu the initiative and they secured a share of the spoils thanks to Bonginkosi Ntuli and an injury-time equaliser from Augustine Kwem.

The DStv Premiership will continue on Wednesday 12 April with two matches: Marumo Gallants v Chippa United and Golden Arrows v Mamelodi Sundowns.

DStv Premiership weekend results

Friday 7 April

SuperSport United 2-0 TS Galaxy

Saturday 8 April

Richards Bay 0-1 Golden Arrows

Chippa United 0-2 Orlando Pirates

Sekhukhune United 1-0 Maritzburg United

Kaizer Chiefs 1-1 Marumo Gallants

Sunday 9 April

Royal AM 3-1 Stellenbosch FC

Swallows FC 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns

Cape Town City 2-2 AmaZulu