Erasmus scores the winner for City as Pirates winless run stretches to five matches

Orlando Pirates winless streak stretched to five matches as they crashed to a 1-0 Absa Premiership defeat against a 10-man Cape Town City at Loftus on Sunday.

Mpho Makola was cautioned in the opening three minutes of the match against his former club and got his marching orders half an hour later for a second bookable offence but City still managed to go in front as Kermit Erasmus scored his 12th league goal of the season on the stroke of half time.

Pirates German coach Josef Zinnbauer made five substitutions in the second half but his team huffed and puffed as they failed to breach the City rearguard despite having the numerical advantage for over an hour.

The defeat leaves the Buccaneers stuck in fifth place on 43 points after 27 matches having collected a paltry three points out of a possible 15 to see their faint title hopes go up in smoke while victory consolidates City’s place in the top eight as they move to seventh on 36 points with three games remaining.

Zinnbauer started the match with the league’s leading goal scorer Gabhadino Mhango on the bench with Tshegofatso Mabasa rewarded for his goal during the 1-1 mid-week draw against Baroka FC with a start in place of the misfiring Malawian striker.

Pirates host SuperSport United at Ellis Park on Saturday while City will face off against Lamontville Golden Arrows at the same venue in the later kickoff.