SuperSport United claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory over Orlando Pirates in an Absa Premiership encounter at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Clayton Daniels scored the only goal of the game, a header following a second-half set-piece, although Pirates missed a spot kick 10 minutes later.
In what proved to be a chilly evening in Nelspruit, the first genuine threat on goal came from the hosts following a swift break from the hosts, although Mxolisi Macuphu was unable to beat veteran Pirates stopper Wayne Sandilands with his 12th minute effort.
SuperSport continued to have the better of the game, and Sandilands was again called into action in the 27th minute – this time denying Clayton Daniels’ well-struck header from a corner.
The remainder of the first half petered out, as both teams struggled to maintain possession in the midfield areas.
Pirates started the second half in the ascendancy, but despite being awarded a series of freekicks in promising areas, failed to threaten Ronwen Williams in the United goal.
The tempo of the game increased markedly around the hour mark and while Pirates looked the more threatening, it was the hosts that broke the deadlock in the 65th minute.
After Happy Jele was booked for a cynical foul, Aubrey Modiba’s pin-point ball from the set-piece found Daniels and his expertly-struck header left Sandilands beaten.
Pirates responded well to going behind and thought they had a leveller five minutes later, but Justin Shonga’s header was adjudged offside.
The Buccaneers had a golden opportunity to draw level with 15 minutes left to play when they were awarded a penalty after Evans Rusike’s handball. Jele put the ball on the penalty spot but he was denied by a fine save from Williams, and Shonga failed to hit the target with the rebound.
With one minute left on the clock, Shonga had one last opportunity to rescue a point for Pirates, but once again his effort flew wide.
