JOHANNESBURG - Leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and second-placed Orlando Pirates scored contrasting victories on Tuesday to remain two points apart in a thrilling South African Premiership title race.
Sundowns edged dogged Durban City 1-0 through a first goal of the season from Tsiki Ntsabeleng, a South African midfielder on loan from Major League Soccer club FC Dallas.
South African football poster boy Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis each scored twice as Pirates hammered Golden Arrows 5-0 in Soweto, after netting six times in their previous match.
With seven rounds remaining in the richest African national league, defending champions Sundowns have 56 points and Pirates 54 in the chase for a 20 million rand ($1,19 mn) first prize.
The clubs finishing first and second qualify for the increasingly lucrative CAF Champions League, whose first prize is now worth more than winning the Premiership five times.
"We passed the ball 725 times, had 77 percent possession and 15 goal attempts -- we should have won more convincingly," said Sundowns' Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso.
"But whatever the margin of victory, you get three points so we are happy to stay ahead of Pirates," he said of a club seeking a record-extending ninth straight Premiership title.
"I was impressed with the attitude of the team. When we lost possession, we hunted vigorously and swiftly to regain it."
Sundowns now turn their focus to the Champions League. They fly to Tunisia on Wednesday for a semi-final first leg against Esperance this weekend. Cardoso formerly coached the Tunis outfit.
At the other end of the table, bottom club Magesi ended an 11-match winless run by trouncing fellow strugglers Marumo Gallants 3-0 in northern city Polokwane.
Godfrey Mashigo and Motsie Matima notched their first Premiership goals of the season, then Thabang Sibanyoni added a third as Magesi closed within one point of Orbit College and Marumo.