Loftus stalemate proves season is going to be tightly contested affair

A third successive draw between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates showed there was little to chose between the two sides this season, said the champions’ coach Miguel Cardoso.

Pirates came from behind for a third time this season to hold Sundowns to a 1-1 draw in their Betway Premiership clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The two sides also drew 1-1 in each of their MTN8 semifinals in August and look as if the are going to go head-to-head in a closely contested season.

“ I think the result is quite fair, considering what we saw, the more dominant Sundowns, and Pirates playing as we had seen from them in their previous matches,” said Cardoso after the game.

“Third match, third draw, same result. It means that the teams are very equal in the moment. They play differently, but they have their capacities and we'll have for sure a competition this season.

“I remember I predicted at the PSL launch event that this championship will have a different story,” added Cardoso.

Pirates been runners-up to Sundowns in the last three campaigns – 12 points behind last season in a 28-game campaign but a record-breaking 23 points adrift in 2024 and in 2023 Sundowns finished 16 points clear of the Buccaneers.

“It will be much more equal until the end,” Sundowns’ coach predicted of this season.

Cardoso admitted Saturday’s encounter would not go down as a classic.

“It was not the best football played by both teams, but these kinds of matches are like that. I think the match, basically, was what I predicted in terms of its pattern, played with a lot of emotion,” he added.