24 January 2011
South Africas Absa Premiership has a new leader after the weekends action, with Orlando Pirates now the pacesetters at the head of the table.
That the Buccaneers are now top of the log is a remarkable thing, given that they found themselves 2-0 down against Bidvest Wits on Saturday evening at the same time that long-time leaders Mamelodi Sundowns looked set to play out a goalless stalemate against Tshwane rivals SuperSport United.
By the final whistles in the respective games it was all change: Pirates had recovered to win 3-2, with Katlego Mashego scoring the winner in injury time, while SuperSports Kermit Erasmus netted a late goal to see his side defeat the Brazilians 1-0. The end result was that Bucs had risen to the top, one point ahead of Sundowns.
Earlier in the day, Ajax Cape Town had kept themselves well in the title race with an impressive 3-0 destruction of Platinum Stars, who had gone eight games without defeat until coming up against the Urban Warriors.
The top of the table could have had a new look to it by late Sunday afternoon, but Bloemfontein Celtics home game against Kaizer Chiefs (who could have slipped into first place on goal difference had they become the first team to beat Phunya Sele Sele in Bloemfontein) was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
The fixture has been rescheduled for Wednesday evening, though the rainy weather in the central parts of the country is reportedly set to continue throughout the week.
Life at the bottom of the log is still difficult for Black Aces and Moroka Swallows. The former was narrowly beaten 1-0 away to Santos (their ninth straight loss) on Saturday, while the latter was handed a 4-0 drubbing at home by AmaZulu on Sunday.
Absa Premiership results, Round 16
Saturday, January 22
Platinum Stars 0-3 Ajax Cape Town
Golden Arrows 3-0 Maritzburg United
Vasco da Gama 1-1 Free State Stars
SuperSport United 1-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Santos 1-0 Black Aces
Orlando Pirates 3-2 Bidvest Wits
Sunday, January 23
Moroka Swallows 0-4 AmaZulu
Bloemfontein Celtic P-P Kaizer Chiefs
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