Kaizer Chiefs celebrated Stuart Baxter's 100th league game in charge with a crucial 2-1 win over fierce rivals Orlando Pirates in a tight-fought Soweto Derby on Saturday.
In what was the 175th derby, Chiefs dangermen Khama Billiat and Keagan Dolly combined in a rasping 49th-minute counter-attack that caught Pirates' napping and a stoppage-time penalty that was converted by Dolly.
Pirates had equalised through Linda Mntambo in the 87th-minute after a Daniel Akpeyi error, but Olisah Ndah's trailing elbow was enough to convince referee Victor Hlungwani to award the penalty.
The win, Chiefs' fourth of the season, moved them to fifth place on the log with 15 points while Pirates' second defeat of the season kept them in seventh place.
AS IT HAPPENED | Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 Orlando Pirates
While there wasn't much that separated the sides, but Chiefs had better structure and composure pulled through against Pirates commendable, distinctly ragged endeavour.
However, Chiefs are in a far better developmental stage than Orlando Pirates and it should not come as a surprise if Chiefs finish the season stronger.
While Pirates may have the better players on paper barring Dolly and Billiat, they're a work-in-progress.
For how long though remains the nagging question.
On what was a hot afternoon with a storm that brewed in the distance, the 0-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of how closely contested the first stanza was.
With both teams coming into the game in patchy form and contrasting results, they lacked the confidence and the poise to force the issue.
While the absence of crowds at DStv Premiership matches remains a thorny issue, especially with the Disaster Management Act allowing for 2000 fans, some of the mistakes the players made would have been harshly, but rightly criticised by the fans.
One of these was Fortune Makaringe's foul on Billiat that earned him a yellow card in the 12th minute.
Billiat's resultant freekick was disappointing, but the pace and combining of Billiat and Dolly were a threat Pirates struggled to contain.
Pirates coach Mandla Ncikazi had foreseen this problem, but whether his defence was going to find a way to stop them was another matter. As the game wore on, he was proven right.
That said, Chiefs were denied a clear penalty when Njabulo Ngcobo's 30th shot clearly came off Thulani Hlatshwayo's hand.
It could have been a case where Hlungwani was unsighted, but Baxter's incredulous reaction was that of a person who was questioning the referee's eyesight.
From a goal-scoring creating perspective, the other chances came from Phathutshedo Nange in the eighth and 34th minutes that didn't bother Siyabonga Mpontshane.
However, Pirates should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time, but Makaringe's header from Mntambo's cross went narrowly wide of Akpeyi's net.
That chance, and Kwame Peprah's 46th-minute grass cutter that went wide of Akpeyi's net were punished by a swift Chiefs 49th-minute counterattack that saw Dolly score.
Billiat's pace, control and selflessness was key to the goal, with his former Sundowns teammate haring down the middle and expertly finishing.
While Pirates could not find the equalising goal at that point, they tried, but without finesse and fortune.
Their inability to consistently trouble Chiefs' defence nearly came back to haunt them in an 80th-minute through another Billiat breakaway.
On that occasion, Mpontshane was more than equal to the task with an excellent save to keep his team alive.
The heavens then opened, not only making the pitch slicker, but the ball harder to grip for the keepers.
This was the case for Akpeyi in Pirates' equaliser when he couldn't handle Terrence Dzvukamanja's header from Kabelo Dlamini's cross.
However, Ndah's unnecessary foul on Billiat on the stroke of full-time allowed for the penalty that Dolly converted for the win.