Champions Sundowns made to sweat for a point against Arrows

DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a third consecutive draw by Golden Arrows, but this time, Bafana Ba Style were given a serious run for their money as they had to come back from a goal behind to chisel out a point as the tie finished 1-1 at the Princess Magogo Stadium.

Bongani Zungu is perhaps the unluckiest Sundowns player right now as he just came back from injury, and had his nose headed into when he was in an aerial duel with Arrows defender Divine Lunga.

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The duo were vying for a ball launched by Marcelo Allende from a corner. However, Zungu could continue with the match as it was not as critical as it appeared.
Sundowns’ medical team took some time to patch him up and stop the bleeding – some five minutes after the incident that took place in the 20th minute.

Some three minutes after the head collision, Lunga was making waves up front and he provided the assist for Ryan Moon. Lunga played a cross into the box from the left flank where he operates and Moon was quick to pounce on it and netted his fourth goal of the season.

However, he made the silly mistake of taking off his shirt in celebration and referee Kenneth Mamegwa gave the well-travelled striker a yellow card for his antics.

In the 56th minute, Sundowns broke out from the back and it was the quick thinking of defender Rushine De Reuck who played a quick ball to Haashim Domingo, who released it to Cassius Mailula on his first touch but Arrows’ defence was quick to close down the 21-year-old before he could find his feet.

A few minutes after that, Abubaker Nassir tried his luck from an acute angle but goalkeeper Sifiso Mbunjwana made sure to make the angle tight and Nassir saw his effort going wide across the face of goal.

Sundowns eventually got the equalizer in the 73rd minute when Allende swung in a corner kick and Sipho Mbule headed home. However Mbunjana should have held on to what appeared to be a routine catch, as the ball sliced through his grasp and crept into the back of the net.

Youngster Siyabonga Mabena came close to being the hero for Sundowns as he hit the crossbar and almost won maximum points for Downs, but it was not meant to be for the champions.

Meanwhile in the other fixture of the night, Ranga Chivaviro netted a hatrick for Marumo Gallants as they beat Chippa United 3-1.

The former Baroka FC striker’s haul of goals helped Raymond Mdaka’s side make a few steps up the log – they are now three points away from the bottom, ahead of Chippa and Maritzburg United.