A second draw for Germiston City

This weekend saw Germiston City Football Club take on Randburg-based Old Parktonians in an away match.

The match saw both teams giving their all, and ended in a two-all draw.

Germiston City went into this game full of hope following the good results they have been achieving in the league and Cup, thus far.

They started their attack from the first whistle and a stunning strike from Terrance Kubeka narrowly missed the Old Parks goal in the early minutes of the game.

This miss didn’t dampen the team’s spirits and City maintained the pressure in the opening minutes.

The team’s strikers were unlucky not to be in the lead after a few near misses, with Old Parks relying on the counter-attack.

Kubeka missed timed a pass in the eighth minute and set up Old Parks with a shot on goal, which was lost in the sun by City keeper Brandon Greyling.

A wickedly dipping ball ended up in the back of the net for the game’s first goal.

City sustained 15 minutes of pressure on the Old Parks goal, with some close misses.

Old Parks relied on their counter-attack, bringing Greyling into action with a number of good saves.

In the 36th minute, Old Parks tested the City defence with a break from deep in their own half, with a string of good passes.

City sent in central defender Caleb Masangane, who made a goal-saving tackle just outside of City’s 18-yard box.

This led to a break for City and a strike from Pizzo Muso that just skimmed over the Old Parks goal.

The halftime talk from City coach Len van Rooyen was all but pleasant on his side, but was it enough to spur on the team?

Apparently it did, from the kick-off Germiston split the Old Parks defence with Lebogang Choeke beating the keeper, but not the cross bar.

City kept up the pressure and, in the ensuing attack, Zuma Maketso was fouled in the penalty area and a penalty was awarded.

Kaka Rachane stepped up to take the penalty, but it was well saved by the Old Parks keeper.

Some good play by City led to substitute Innocent Dhalmini threading a pass through to Kaka Rachane, to equalise for City.

City kept up the pressure and a foul on Dhlamini saw a free kick given just outside the Old Parks goal area, which was easily saved by the old Parks keeper.

Muso was thwarted in another break, with a timely tackle in the middle of Germiston’s half.

The team kept up the pressure until the 82nd minute, and were rewarded with a goal from Rachane.

With under two minutes left in the game, City lost the ball in the Old Parks half and a well aimed pass found the Old Parks forward beating a diving Greyling in his bottom right hand corner.

The final score Old Parks 2 – Germiston City 2

Germiston coach van Rooyen was unhappy at the lack of discipline shown throughout the game, especially leading to Old Parks’ second goal in the last minute of play.

“We had had so many chances – but, in football, if you don’t take your chances you are not going to win games,” said van Rooyen.

Germiston City’s reserve team’s game was cancelled, as Old Parks could not field a side.