Cape Town revival stretches to three straight wins
Cape Town City won a third consecutive Premiership match by withstanding a late rally from 10-man Polokwane City to triumph 2-1 on Tuesday.
Ayanda Patosi gave City a seventh-minute lead that Siphelele Mthembu increased just before the hour in northern city Polokwane.
Polokwane lost captain Jabu Maluleke on 69 minutes after a second yellow card, but fought back and Ghanaian Mohammed Anas halved the deficit from a penalty with eight minutes left.
Defeat was bitterly disappointing for the home team as they would have climbed to second behind leaders Orlando Pirates had they secured maximum points.
Cape Town have recovered well from a dismal start to the season in which they won only one of eight matches before beating Amazulu, Black Leopards and Polokwane.
They lie eighth after 11 matches -- one place behind Polokwane -- and seven points adrift of Pirates with two matches in hand.
Cape Town are coached by Benni McCarthy, part of the 2004 Porto UEFA Champions League-winning team which Jose Mourinho managed.
"We were fantastic tonight," he said. "We did not allow Polokwane to settle and our finishing was a lot more clinical than earlier in the season."
Maritzburg United, who have failed to match the form that produced a fourth-place finish last season, were held 0-0 at home by Chippa United in a clash of strugglers.
Bottom club AmaZulu won 2-1 away to mid-table Highlands Park near Johannesburg with Argentine Emiliano Tade scoring the 69th-minute winner.