Royal AM break Orlando Pirates' Champions League hopes with late goal

Orlando Pirates saw their hopes of Champions League football dashed after being pegged back to a 2-2 draw by Royal AM at the Chatsworth Stadium on Friday night.

As it happened | PSL - Royal AM v Orlando Pirates

Pirates needed to win this match and their final league encounter of the season against SuperSport to claim the Champions League qualification spot, which Cape Town City FC has now taken.

It took only three minutes for the Buccaneers to strike first after Deon Hotto turned Thembinkosi Lorch's cross past Marlon Heugh and into the bottom corner.

It was 2-0 just four minutes later and with only seven gone in total after Kwame Peprah headed Hotto's delivery home from close range.

Royal AM was enjoying the majority of the possession and keeping Pirates camped inside their own half. However, John Maduka's were not finding any clear openings through a well-organised Pirates side, who were content to sit back.

They did, however, threaten from a corner. Bandile Shandu gave the set-piece away before Tebogo Potsane's effort was brilliantly saved by Richard Ofori in the Sea Robbers' goal.

Shortly before half-time, the Buccaneers won a free-kick on the edge of the box when Lesedi Manganyi brought down Peprah. Hotto stepped up from 20 yards out but skied his effort over the bar.

The Bucs were under siege but still holding firm at the back, with Maduka's men growingly increasingly frustrated at not being able to find a breakthrough.

It was a match with genuine opportunities few and far between and it took Royal AM until the 79th minute to equalise. Former Pirates man Thabo Matlaba picked it up with his left and changed feet to launch a long-range effort that left Ofori with no chance as the ball hit the inside of the upright before going