Orlando Pirates and Polokwane City settled for a 1-1 draw in the DStv Premiership encounter at Orlando Stadium on Friday night.
Patrick Maswanganyi broke the deadlock in the 39th minute of the showdown to give Pirates a lead.
However, Given Mashikinya levelled matters in the 72nd minute of the showpiece to deny the hosts maximum points.
Below are the talking points from this entertaining league fixture.
NDUMISO MABENA PLAYING AGAINST HIS FORMER SIDE
Veteran striker Ndumiso Mabena had the opportunity to play against his former side since he left Pirates on 30 June 2023.
The highly-rated forward, Mabena, came in this clash having won the Man of the Match accolade in the last match they played against SuperSport United last weekend in the Carling Knockout Cup.
He was expected to have a bigger role in this tie, as he has been on fine form since joining the Rise and Shine at the end of the last transfer window period. Luckily, he did exactly that as he helped his side to secure a draw against Pirates.
MELUSI BUTHELEZI FAILS TO KEEP HIS THIRD SUCCESSIVE CLEAN SHEET
Goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi has failed to keep his third successive clean sheet in Pirates colours. He has one clean sheet in the league and one from the Carling Knockout Cup.
But this doesn’t take anything away because Buthelezi has shown how he has brought a calming influence to the Buccaneers’ defence and has a good command of his 18-yard box.
Sipho Chaine remains on the sidelines after sustaining an injury against Cape Town Spurs in the Carling Knockout Cup.
ORLANDO PIRATES FAIL TO BREAK POLOKWANE CITY’S FINE UNBEATEN RUN
The Sea Robbers failed to break the Limpopo club’s unbeaten run, as Lehlohonolo Seema’s boys came into this contest unbeaten in their four most recent league games.
City had won two games and secured two draws in the league, excluding their shocking 4-1 cup win over SuperSport United in their last outing before facing Pirates tonight.
NKOSINATHI SIBISI RETURNS FROM INJURY
Pirates defender Nkosinathi Sibisi was on the bench, as he returned from an injury he picked up in the MTN8 final between the Soweto giants and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sibisi was not part of the last two Pirates games because of his injury.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This game was the first meeting between Pirates and Rise and Shine since January 2020 when Bucs defeated City 4-1 at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
In fact, the Happy People have won seven times against the Limpopo-based outfit and lost once while the other eight games ended in a stalemate.
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