Johannesburg - Arch-rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs played out to a 1-all draw in their Absa Premiership Soweto Derby at a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon, after the AmaKhosi lead 1-0 at halftime.
Pirates went into the match without the services of their talisman striker Kermit Erasmus after he had signed for French side Stade Rennes earlier in the week. The match marked the 60th time the two teams met in league competition since 1985.
Both sides had great difficulty with man-to-man passing and consequently lost possession in the opening 12 minutes of play. It seemed like players were caught up in the emotion of competing in the derby cauldron.
The Buccaneers were the more penetrative from the outset but the feeds to their front-runners went awry and it was also the case when AmaKhosi managed to mount attacks inside opposition territory. Consequently, neither goalkeeper was tested in the first 15 minutes of play.
Chiefs managed to prise open the Pirates defence and Reneilwe Letsholonyane nipped in behind the rearguard to score but he was flagged offside.
Chiefs had another chance two minutes later when Camaldine Abraw headed a Siphiwe Tshabalala cross fractionally wide of the woodwork.
The derby produced its first flashpoint in the 24th minute when Pirates scored after Lehlohonolo Majoro headed home from a free-kick. The goal did not stand, and instead, Limpopo referee Phillip Tinyani ordered the free-kick to be retaken.
Tinyani ruled that the Pirates free-kick taker had played the ball before he had blown his whistle.