Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City provided some great entertainment in a 1-1 league draw at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday evening.
With so much quality out on the park, the game lived up to expectations with thrilling, end-to-end action, including a trademark Hlompho Kekana long-range screamer, with the draw a fair reflection of the 90 minutes.
The tone was right from the start when Lyle Lakay, up against his former team, had a second-minute shot from close range deflected off the line and onto the woodwork.
Then, with seven minutes played, it was time for Kekana to treat the fans.
From around 35-yards out, the ball flew like a rocket through the air, swerving into the top corner with City goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh rooted to the spot; a strike which may well end up being the goal of the season.
THIXO 🙆♂️ pic.twitter.com/K0VMeA9FsG
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 20, 2019
The visitors, however, were giving as good as they got, and they were back on level terms in the 25th minute when Sundowns failed to clear a corner kick and Edmilson Dove fired in a venomous shot from the tightest of angles.
Their tails up, the Cape side nearly took the lead two minutes later when Keanu Cupido’s header came back off the post.
City remained a threat and could have taken the lead five minutes before half time, had Thato Mokeke been more clinical with only goalkeeper Denis Onyango to beat.
SIGNATURE: Hlompho Kekana is engulfed teammates after producing his signature long-range strike. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix.
The Brazilians began the second half with purpose and a lunging attempt at a clearance from City defender Ebrahim Seedat nearly ended with the ball in the back of his own net in the 54th minute.
There was another close call moments later when Wayne Arendse tried to bundle the ball over the line following a corner kick, but City winger Bradley Ralani, aided by the woodwork, was able to clear off his own goal-line.
Once more though the Citizens were able to demonstrate their own attacking capabilities and had a few chances of their own, including a solo run and a shot which was dragged marginally wide by Kermit Erasmus.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/iamCityFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iamCityFC💙💙💙 pic.twitter.com/S9iY1uDKVZ
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC)
Although the pace and intensity of the game remained high, goal opportunities were to dry up somewhat, with Sundowns in particular unable to capitalise on a couple of promising moments.
With the match deep in added time, Siphelele Mthembu looked in with a chance to snatch a winner for City, but he arrived a fraction too late to get a decisive touch on a cross into the box.
The result leaves both teams on five points, with two draws and a win from their respective opening three league games of the new campaign.
African News Agency