Orlando Pirates slip even further from Mamelodi Sundowns after another disappointing draw

If this Orlando Pirates side is Mamelodi Sundowns' main challenger in the fight for the DStv Premiership – then the Premier Soccer League might as well deliver the title to Chloorkop now and drop all pretences that this is going to be a contest. 

At the moment, the Brazilians are a heavyweight that's knocking out every challenger on their path. The Buccaneers, on the other hand, are a lightweight that draws more than art students. The Buccaneers picked up their fourth draw in eight matches when they were held 1-1 by Polokwane City at Orlando Stadium on Friday night. 

This stalemate means that the Buccaneers have picked up just nine points from seven matches. The Brazilians, on the other hand, have 24 points in the same number of games. Pirates are something of cup specialists under coach Jose Riveiro, who has won three cups in only his second season in charge of the Buccaneers. 

Those cups have endeared him to the Pirates faithful, but it’s a fickle relationship that can turn sour in a moment as the Ghosts are expecting the Spaniard to fight for the championship and win after finishing second behind Sundowns last season. 

Instead of the gap closing, it has widened because of Sundowns' dominance and Pirates' stuttering start. The mood that started off as euphoric in Orlando turned sour when it was evident that the Buccaneers would pick up another draw in a match where they created enough chances to comfortably win. 

It was such a one-sided encounter that it felt like the pitch was uneven in the first half, favouring Pirates, who peppered Polokwane's goal with ease. The visitor's goalkeeper, Manuel Sapunga, worked overtime. It didn't help that it seemed like his gloves were made of steel. He struggled to hold onto the ball,