Pirates close the gap on log leaders Sundowns with win over Durban City

Orlando Pirates defender Lebone Seema and attacker Tshepang Moremi scored a goal each to help Orlando Pirates register a 2-0 Betway Premiership win over Durban City at Orlando Stadium on Thursday.

For Seema, it was the perfect celebration for his call-up by coach Pitso Mosimane to the Bafana Bafana squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea next week.

For Moremi, it was a timely message to Mosimane, who dropped him from the national team after he featured predominantly for Hugo Broos, and instead favoured Shandre Campbell and Luther Singh.

With the crucial three points at home, the Buccaneers closed the gap on log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns to four points, but Pirates have an advantage of two games in hand.

For City and their coach Khalil Ben Youssef, they dropped to 11th spot on the log and are under pressure from Chippa United and Kruger United below them.

Pirates could narrow the gap on Sundowns to one point if they beat bottom of the log Marumo Gallants in their next league match on Sunday at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

With the match tied at 0-0, Seema rose the highest in the City penalty box and powered home a bullet header that gave goalkeeper Fredrick Asare no chance in the 58th minute for the opener.

#BetwayPrem - RESULT: It's three points in the bag plus a clean sheet for @orlandopirates pic.twitter.com/Rhi9RZydNT

Then Moremi gave them firm control of the match when he drilled the ball past Asare after 68 minutes after the City defence failed to deal with Pirates’ attacking move.

City had a good opportunity to open the scoring inside six minutes after miscommunication in the Pirates defence, but midfielder Tylo Sanger’s shot deflected off Sipho Chaine inside five minutes.

Both teams went at each other with most of the play saturated in the midfield where Pirates had Mthetheleli Mthiyane, Simphiwe Masilela and Thapelo Mokobodi.

Ben Youseff employed Bafana midfielder Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Sanger and Fezile Gcaba in the engine room to deal with the threats of Mthiyane, Masilela and Mokobodi.

One of the livewires for Pirates was Moremi, who looked like he had a point to prove after he was left out of the Bafana Bafana squad, and he returned with a goal.

City had a good chance to open the scoring on the stroke of halftime, but striker Jean Lubumba was denied by the outstretched hands of Chaine after the Pirates defence was caught again.