Mamelodi Sundowns and Baroka FC played to a 1-1 draw on Monday evening at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, earning a point to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Masandawana handed Teboho Mokoena his first start since he joined the club, and also featured Grant Kekana amongst the substitutes after months of nursing an injury. The visitors opened the scoring in Polokwane thanks to a moment of brilliance from Lyle Lakay four minutes into the second half, but Richard Mbulu levelled the scoring late on to ensure the points were shared.
After a tough start away from home, The Brazilians began to settle and created a few chances to test Baroka’s goalie Elvis Chipezeze, in particular a combination in attack between Themba Zwane and Bradley Ralani who then won a free kick just outside the box. Left-footer Lakay had his first goal scoring opportunity against Bakgakga, but denied by the goalkeeper who quickly handed his team a counter attacking moment towards goal, Evidence Makgopa effort was pushed out by Downs goalie Denis Onyango.
The referee pointed to the penalty spot after what seemed to be a handball by Rushine De Reuck who went for a low diver clearing the ball out of danger,and Basil Mphahlele who had stepped up to take the penalty and put Baroka ahead, fired a long shot off target as the ball went over the goalposts and kept Masandawana in the game.
Before going into the half time break, there were relative moments of counter attacks from both sides of the team, Baroka showed confidence in their attacking schemes whenever they had the ball but let down by their final touch towards Denis Onyango’s post. Meanwhile the defending Champions didn’t stop in searching for their opening goal to settle the matter and take the lead, but just like the opposition, Downs attempts at goal were unsuccessful. As the encounter went into the break, The Brazilians had 61% of the ball possession, leaving Bakgakga with 39%.
Bafana Ba Style started the second half brightly and got in on goal, timelessly testing Talent Chipezeze who stood no chance against Lakay’s perfectly shot long range goal at the top corner to give Downs a lead. The home team unsettled Masandawana but lacked the necessary killer touch up front to find the equaliser, and neither goalkeeper was forced into making any save of note after Lakay’s strike was denied by the woodwork, with his long range shot coming crashing off the top of the bar.
Sundowns made substitutions at the half hour mark, Mothobi Mvala and Lesedi Kapinga came on to replace Mokoena and Ralani. Moments after the substitutions were made, Erwin Saavedra, who had come in place of Pavol Safranko as a forced substitute due to an injury, played a low cross to connect with Peter Shalulile who scored one for The Brazilians, however his goal was called for offside. The presence of Kapinga matched matched greatly with Khuliso Mudau who was playing on the right side of the field, the two players were instrumental in attacking Bakgakga, penetrating through the the defence and finding Bolivia international Saavedra who took his chance at goal but took a deflection before Chipezeze collected the ball.
With four minutes of additional time to play, Baroka’s efforts to find an equaliser finally paid off, Richard Mbuli fired an effort to the upright from the edge of the box unexpectedly while Downs defence was finding their feet. A 1-1 draw between the two sides concluded.
This is how we lined up:
- Onyango © , B. Ralani (60′ Kapinga), L. Lakay, B. Onyango, R. De Reuck, A. Jali, T. Mokoena (60′ Mvala), P. Safranko (42 Saavedra), K. Mudau, T. Zwane (79′ Kekana), P. Shalulile (79′ Maema).
Subs:
- Mweene, A. Modiba, D. Lunga, T. Morena, M. Mvala, E. Saavedra, N. Maema, G. Kekana, L. Kapinga.
We are not creating scoring chances,a team like Sundowns with all the millions spent had only one shot on target for 96 minutes!.We lack creativity,is high time we start with Kapinga,he is more creative than all your preferred players and also bring back Motupa he is the only striker who can shoot,we can’t afford to have our back line have more shots at goal than our offensive players.We have quality players in every department but the problem is how to pair them which where our technical team found wanting.We struggled against 10 men Chippa and also in the champions league.The problem with our coaches is,they over analysis our opponents and forget to put more efforts on addressing our weaknesses.We always try to play a high press forgetting that 90% of our squad is old and can’t sustain that high press throughout the game.Majority of teams play with young and hungry players and they can run for 90 plus minutes hence we struggle toward the dying phase the game .Let us leave the refs alone,we we don’t to enough to win the games.Honestly if we created chances i would be disappointed with the draw,we got what we deserve.
Motsepe family are trying all their level best to ensure the conquers Africa.
coaches are on the comfort zone and are failing the team. With this type play, we wont win any match. Things must change and it must be now.
Morning Family
I am happy we did not loose the game, family please i plead with everyone especially my coaches. We appreciate the sterling job you guys are doing, but please can we just rest Themba: Mshishi is a wonderful player but he is tired bafwethu. We have seen what the young man can do in the short times he was introduced. Can we please give Lesedi a chance. the boy is a good ball player…with
Jali, teboho Mokeona, Ralani, Lesedi and Peter we can do damage in Africa Family.
If we don’t rest our best players, we wont make it in Africa, there is no mercy there.
Please my coaches i am pleading with you…
Pass three games shows sundowns goes down Pitso lay good foundation instead work on just add few young blood instead buy more player not given time to get use on system example last night started Ralan and Mokoana on Middlefield both are new also poor substituted Baroka pressurized manage equal because poor techniques why substituted Zwane and Shalulile both attacker gave Baroka advantage Manqoba destroyed team
Themba Zwane must learn to pass the ball quickly not to dribble everytime he has the ball,thats his downfall and oneday he will get injured for his unnecessary holding the ball.
Kapinga is still a good player let’s give him more minutes and lastly let’s keep on scoring more goals so that the referees cannot succeed on sabotaging or robbing us,happy to see Kekana and Maema back.Kby forever
I agree with you on Zwane holding on the ball for too long sometimes, there are times were he was supposed to release it quicker and create a chance, he decide to hold it and kill all that potential attack. Kapinga has that sense of urgency and peripheral vision too, they should try him. Also glad Kekana is back, there was some jittery at the back, few past games. I hope we improve, we are not convincing lately.
Number one culprit who holds on the ball to much is Denis Onyango, you might think we are leading by 4 goals yet we have not scored a single goal.
He even got a yellow card for delaying play.
Otherwise we are still on track.
Themba must be given a rest, he is tired bafwethu, please try Lesedi Kapinga. he is fast and a good ball player…