More frustration for Kaizer Chiefs as Golden Arrows fight back for a draw

Kaizer Chiefs and Golden Arrows played out to an entertaining 2-2 draw in a league match at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After a goal-less opening stanza in Durban, the home side drew first blood through a Siboniso Conco penalty before the visitors scored twice through Leonardo Castro to take the lead, only for Nduduzo Sibiya to deny the Soweto giants their second league win of the season.

It was Arrows who made a bright to the game and they could have gone ahead after just two minutes when Conco surged clear down the right wing before locating Michael Gumede with an accurate cross, but from just 12-yards out he lifted his shot into the stands, not testing goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, back in the Amakhosi line-up.

Chiefs then began to slowly grow into the game although the next chance again fell to the KwaZulu-Natal side, on 23 minutes, when after a flowing move, Conco turned on the edge of the box, but his shot was also far too high.

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From that point onwards in the first half it was the Glamour Boys who took charge of proceedings and they had the ball in the net on 27 minutes although Castro’s effort was correctly ruled off-sides.

Chiefs were getting plenty of joy down their left flank through Philani Zulu and on 35 minutes he whipped in a telling cross for Castro, who did well to arch his body for the header, only to see the ball hitting the woodwork.

Eight minutes later there was another good opportunity for the visitors when Nkosingiphile Ngcobo flighted in a great cross for Ramahlwe Mphahlele who took the ball down well with his chest but had his volley from a tight angle excellently saved by Arrows keeper Sifiso Mlungwana.

Mlungwana came to his side’s rescue again in first half added time with a fantastic save to deny Castro, who had been put clean through on goal by Lebogang Manyama.

Amakhosi’s failure to take their chances was to come back to haunt them, shortly after the restart.

That was after Willard Katsande was ruled to have fouled Zolani Nkombelo in the box, in what replays showed was a debatable call.

That didn’t matter to Conco however as he stepped up to the penalty spot in the 48th minute and finished clinically for what was just his second goal in the top flight.

The Soweto side looked to try and hit back quickly and after a sustained spell of pressure in the Arrows box the ball fell to Katsande, but from a good position he lifted his shot over the crossbar.

 

Khama Billiat then also squandered a good chance after being set up by Manyama.

But moments later, from a Chiefs corner, Billiat picked out Castro who sent in a sumptuous header which gave Mlungwana no chance; 1-1 in the 58th minute.

Abafana bes’Thende could have restored their lead two minutes later when the ball deflected kindly to Gumede in the Chiefs box, but his shot was too close to Khune, who got down well to make the save.

Instead it was the Glamour Boys who were to score next, in the 65th minute as Manyama threaded a defence-splitting pass for Billiat, who cleverly squared for Castro who was able to walk the ball into an empty net.

To their credit the home side regrouped and hit back just four minutes later when two substitutes combined: at the end of a flowing move, Knox Mutizwa cleverly back-heeled the ball for Sibiya, who finished sublimely with a curling 25-yard shot with his left foot into the far corner.

The final 20 minutes belonged almost exclusively to Amakhosi, but there were no more than a couple of half chances as the Arrows defence remained firm and focused to earn the point.