Orlando Pirates' Relebohile Mofokeng battles for possession against Lucas Ribeiro of Mamelodi Sundowns during their Betway Premiership encounter at the FNB Stadium on Sunday.
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
The skies were pregnant, heavy with rain, in most parts of Johannesburg over the weekend, and when they delivered in spitting starts on Sunday afternoon, a star — Relebohile Mofokeng — was reborn!
Mofokeng scored a brace as Orlando Pirates kept the Betway Premiership race alive after beating log leaders and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium. The win means that Pirates are now 15 points behind the Brazilians and could trim the gap to just three points if they win their four games in hand when they are eventually rescheduled.
This was a fierce battle that required both sides to be at their best, as the Yellow Nation and The Ghost came out in numbers to support the two best teams in the country. In the end, it was the black and white side of Soweto that reigned supreme, hoisting their flag after a well-fought skirmish.
Many in the football fraternity had dismissed this game as a non-contest for Sundowns, given their lead and form coming into the match. But the Sea Robbers’ players and coach, José Riveiro, remained adamant that they were still in the championship race and would not give up without a fight.
And boy, did they put their money where their mouth was. The fight didn’t end with them winning the game 2-1 — thanks to Mofokeng’s early brace. It started much earlier — during the pre-match build-up — when Pirates’ MC, Melody Miya, drew the battle lines by commanding the Yellow Nation to move from the far stand to make space for The Ghost.
Pirates also made their home advantage clear by forcing Sundowns to use the car tunnel instead of the main tunnel for warm-ups. The tension was high as Riveiro and his counterpart, Miguel Cardoso, exchanged pleasantries before kick-off, with the atmosphere only intensifying.
Earlier, Cardoso had decided to send out his best warriors to do battle — including the league’s top goal scorer, Lucas Ribeiro — with Sundowns looking all but ready to record another victory. But such is the beauty of football — no fight is won on paper; and Pirates made sure they had sharpened their swords beforehand as they cut Sundowns open within the first 10 minutes.
It was Riveiro’s surprise package, and trump card, Evidence Makgopa, who raced down the flank, got into the box, and made a clever cutback to Mofokeng, who tapped home from close range. The 20-year-old defied his age and played with maturity as he scored his brace in no time, collecting a loose ball inside midfield before hitting a curler that struck the inside of the upright.
That goal sent the stadium into a frenzy, as Mofokeng forced the naysayers to eat humble pie after they had criticised him for his dip in form and goal drought.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos, who was watching from the stands, must have been impressed ahead of the Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Lesotho on Friday and Benin next Tuesday.
Mofokeng’s performance brought a sense of hope to his team, who had seen the league title slip out of reach in recent weeks. Previously, Mofokeng had already proven himself the Sundowns slayer, having scored a last-minute goal when Pirates beat them in the Nedbank Cup final last season.
Sundowns huffed and puffed as they searched for an equaliser in the first half, with Grant Kekana also hitting the post, but Pirates held onto their lead going into half-time.
The visitors returned with vigour in the second half and successfully made their breakthrough as Iqraam Rayners assisted Khuliso Mudau for their first and only goal. However, that goal proved to be a mere consolation for Cardoso and his troops as the Sea Robbers sailed to calmer waters, keeping the title race alive.
ORLANDO PIRATES (2) 2 (Mofokeng 3, 5) | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (0) 1 Mudau 65