Ayanda Patosi scored two excellent second-half goals as Cape Town City rescued a point with a 2-2 draw at Orlando Pirates in a thrilling Absa Premiership clash at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.
Pirates appeared to be cruising when they led 2-0 early thanks to goals from Zambia international Augustine Mulenga and Innocent Maela, but allowed City back into the game in the second and Patosi punished the home side.
City were missing head coach Benni McCarthy, who stayed in Cape Town after his wife was hospitalised with a punctured lung, and Pirates made a fast start with two goals inside the opening 15 minutes as they stunned a shell-shocked City.
Thembinkosi Lorch's excellent pass released Mulenga in the box and he supplied a cool finish for his first league goal of the season.
Having just given a warning of his prowess in the air from a corner, Maela had a second attempt that he buried to leave the visitors reeling and their defence at sixes and sevens.
Mulenga, Lorch and Vincent Pule all had chances in the remainder of the first half as Pirates looked as though they may run riot.
They did not find the same tempo in the second period though and City were given a lifeline when Patosi netted a brilliant goal as he chested down a pass and volleyed home from the edge of the box.
And he levelled the scores shortly afterwards as he scored direct from a free-kick out wide, City striker Siphelele Mthembu producing a brilliant dummy that flummoxed Pirates goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane.
Linda Mntambo had the opportunity to restore the lead for Pirates, but with just goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh to beat, he pushed his shot well wide.
Mamelodi Sundowns claimed victory in the other game on Wednesday as they defeated Golden Arrows 1-0 in Durban to end a run of six games without a win.
Lebogang Maboe scored the only goal as the league champions moved to within four points of leaders Bidvest Wits, but with a game in hand.
The match was played in wet and windy conditions at Princess Magogo Stadium and never reached any great heights as a spectacle.
The pivotal moment came a minute from half-time when patient build-up play from Sundowns created an opening for Maboe, whose expert finish saw him claim a second goal for The Brazilians since his move from Maritzburg United.