Katlego Mashego was the two-goal hero as Orlando Pirates edged arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 on Saturday and kept their Premiership title hopes alive.
The 26-year-old striker put the Buccaneers ahead after 70 minutes in the Soweto derby before a sell-out 60 000 Ellis Park crowd only for defender Lucas Thwala to concede a bizarre own goal.
But as Pirates saw their hopes of overtaking long-time leaders SuperSport United fading on a chilly Johannesburg afternoon, Mashego rescued the 1995 African champions by scoring five minutes
from full-time.
Collecting maximum points lifted Pirates to 51 points, three less than SuperSport with two matches to play, but defeat cost third-placed Chiefs any chance of snatching first place.
Defending champions SuperSport complete their fixture schedule at home to Golden Arrows (May 6) and away to Santos (May 9) while Pirates visit Ajax Cape Town and host AmaZulu on the same dates.
If the teams end level on points, goal difference decides which club tops the richest national championship in Africa with a million-dollar first prize and United (plus 24) have a clear advantage over Pirates (plus 15).
The biggest domestic fixture for 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa sprang to life when former SuperSport star Mashego pushed a Teko Modise cross past Itumeleng Khune at his near post.
Although outclassed in the first half and lucky not to be several goals behind by half-time, Chiefs levelled on 78 minutes when an attempted clearance struck Thwala and flew back past goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs.
A Pirates team coached by former The Netherlands star Ruud Krol never stopped attacking and were rewarded when Khune parried the ball into the path of Mashego who made no mistake with a low, left-foot strike. – AFP
