Chippa United are by far the happier team after Cape Town City squandered much-needed points as they let an early lead slip before being held to a 1-1 draw in an Absa Premier Soccer League clash at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday night.
It was another game in which Benni McCarthy’s side put on a good display of football and pressed hard for goals, but could not find the back of the net after Riyaad Norodien gave them the lead in the eighth minute.
Chippa’s new coach, Joel Masutha, made a positive start to his reign since taking over from Eric Tinkler.
City got off to the perfect start as defender Taariq Fielies drove a long-range pass straight down the middle of the field, and through the heart of the opposing defence, for the pacey Norodien to get onto the ball ahead of Daniel Akpeyi, the Chippa goalkeeper.
The early lead promised much for McCarthy’s team, but it changed fairly quickly as Chippa won a free-kick outside the City box and Rhulani Manzini stepped up to thrash it home past Peter Leeuwenburgh in goals.
Just past the half-hour mark, Akpeyi produced a fine onehanded stop to deny Teko Modise’s angled shot and, straight after that, Manzini caught the veteran with a horrific studs-up tackle and was extremely fortunate that referee Eketsang Setloboko did not see the incident.
Modise had to be stretchered off, but returned to hit a dipping free-kick just over the top of the Chippa goal.
City came out of the blocks firing after the break but were let down by the final pass and also by straying offside at vital moments.
With almost 15 minutes left, Chippa had their first chance of the second stanza with another venomous Manzini free-kick, which this time was even closer to the target, but went wide.
Ayanda Patosi had his own free-kick opportunity with just minutes left, right on the edge of the Chippa box, but found the wall instead of the target.
With that opportunity went City’s chances of a much-needed home win.
● Orlando Pirates bounced back from their Telkom Cup final defeat to Baroka at the weekend to record a 3-1 victory over Free State Stars in their Absa Premiership encounter at Bethlehem’s Goble Park.
Bucs cantered to a 2-0 lead by the break on Tuesday night, with goals by Thembinkosi Lorch in the 14th minute and Justin Shonga in the 28th.
Pirates captain Happy Jele’s own goal in the 53rd set up a nervy last 40 minutes for Bucs.
Stars winger Sinethemba Jantjie looked to be a man auditioning to be signed by Pirates and was a notable thorn in the foot for the Buccaneers, especially, as they at times endured a Stars onslaught limping through the second half.
Stars were reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute when referee Daniel Bennett gave a straight red card to freshly introduced substitute Dennis Masina for an over-the-top challenge on Mpho Makola.
Linda Mntambo’s 92nd-minute third goal for Pirates sealed what, in the end, was another good league win for the PSL log-leaders.