Pirates and Sundowns pull wins over opponents

Johannesburg - South African Premiership leaders Orlando Pirates snatched a late victory on Sunday and Mamelodi Sundowns rose to second by winning their first game since death threats led coach Antonio Lopez to quit.

Zambian Isaac Chansa converted a penalty four minutes from full-time to give the Buccaneers a 1-0 win over bottom-of-the-table Mpumalanga Black Aces in north-east city Nelspruit.

Orlando Pirates Fans

And Zimbabwe-born caretaker coach Ian Gorowa was grateful to compatriot Nyasha Mushekwi for his two first half goals that set Sundowns on course for a 3-1 triumph against Santos in Pretoria.

Resurgent Wits University trounced Vasco da Gama 6-0 in Johannesburg with midfielder Sifiso Myeni celebrating his call-up for a friendly against Kenya next Wednesday by scoring twice.

Pirates have 41 points after 19 rounds, Sundowns 38, Ajax Cape Town 37 and Kaizer Chiefs 36 in a four-team race for the first prize and a 2012 African Champions League place.

Sundowns, champions a record five times since the Premiership kicked off in 1996, visit Pirates next Saturday for a match likely to have a major bearing on who tops the final table.

Chiefs have a game in hand as their home fixture against Moroka Swallows at Soccer City, where Spain won the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands, was postponed because a copper cable theft blacked out the stadium.

Pirates suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to Aces in the first round and once again they found the club from mining town Witbank difficult to break down before a large Mbombela Stadium crowd.

Aces had midfielder Benedict Vilakazi sent off with six minutes left and when veteran defender Fabian McCarthy conceded a penalty, Chansa sent Francis Chansa the wrong way.

Sundowns recovered swiftly from the Saturday announcement that Spaniard Lopez had resigned on the advice of his family after a run of disappointing results had triggered death threats.

Mushekwi, a close-season signing from Zimbabwe club CAPS United, raised his league goal tally to eight thanks to a glancing header off a corner and a low drive after springing an offside trap.

Swazi Tony Tsabedze cut the deficit before half-time with a close-range shot past Wayne Sandilands and Sundowns supporters endured anxious moments before Richard Henyekane made the points safe through a stoppage-time goal. - AFP