A stoppage-time goal at the death, allowed hosts Stellenbosch FC to salvage a share of the spoils in a 1-all Betway Premiership match against Polokwane City at the Danie Craven Stadium on Friday evening.
Just when it seemed that Polokwane would exact revenge on Stellenbosch who dumped them out of the Nedbank Cup two weeks ago, second-half substitute Ashley Cupido grabbed the equaliser a minute into the referee’s optional time.
After their midweek win over Magesi FC, the stalemate denied coach Steve Barker’s side a chance for back-to-back wins for the first time in the league this campaign, although they are unbeaten in their last four matches across all competitions.
The outcome will see Polokwane in fourth place with 31 points, and Stellenbosch one place lower on the log with 28 points.
The goalkeepers Sage Stephens (Stellenbosch) and Equatoguinean Manuel Sapunga (Polokwane) lived charmed lives in the first half. There were only two shots on target, and both came from the visiting Polokwane.
Despite the overwhelming 70% Stellenbosch could not fashion scoring opportunities and the few times they made final third entries, the Polokwane rearguard bossed them, and they came away empty-handed.
This Polokwane side seemed very well prepared, and their technical staff were spot on with their tactics. It’s seldom that the enterprising Stellenbosch side fails to land a shot at goal on target in a half.
Referee Masixole Bambiso issued three first-half yellow cards. The offenders were Polokwane midfielder Ndamulelo Maphangule, and the Stellenbosch duo, New Zealand-born striker and defender Thabo Moloisane.
The early second-half play produced its fair share of excitement as winger Bonginkosi Dlamini opened the scoring six minutes after the restart. Stellenbosch were unable to contain a telling counter-attack down the right flank by Mokibelo Ramabu. After a penetrative run, he managed to lay on a low goalmouth cross into the opposition goalmouth. The unmarked Dlamini slipped in between two Stellenbosch defenders and deftly side-footed the ball past Sage.
It had taken some time for Stellenbosch to feel the benefit of replacing central striker Khomotjo Lekoloane with Phili Langelihle, but the setback stung them into all-out action. Four minutes later, the Stellenbosch pressure earned them a corner, but they failed to capitalise.
Just ahead of the hour mark, mercurial Stellenbosch midfielder Devin Titus struck the crossbar with a shot from outside the box.
After these close calls, Stellenbosch made four substitutions in a last-ditch attempt to at least grab the equaliser, which finally emerged a minute into second-half injury time by Cupido, who entered the fray on the hour mark. It was Cupido’s third goal in four games.
