Siwelele FC and Golden Arrows played to a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their Betway Premiership meeting at the Free State Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Bloemfontein club battled back from a goal down to claim a share of the spoils against Abafana Bes’thende, with the result leaving the teams in 14th (three points from seven matches) and seventh (seven points from six matches) on the log, respectively.
The sides cancelled each other out through the course of the first half, with most play focused on an intense midfield battle. Neither Siwelele nor Arrows were able to gain ascendancy in the ‘engine room’.
As a result, the defences were relatively comfortable through the first 45 minutes, and the forwards had to feed on scraps. In fact, the only shot on goal in the first half came from Siwelele’s Vincent Pule – and that effort was comfortably handled by Arrows goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa.
Arrows upped their game in the second half and claimed the lead just four minutes after the restart: Ronaldo Van Neel played in a lofted cross from the left, which fell perfectly for Philani Khumalo, who steered home a low shot on the half-volley for 1-0.
Siwelele, however, responded strongly and levelled the game at 1-1 just past the hour mark. Christian Saile latched onto a loose ball after a poor touch from Osborn Maluleke and acrobatically volleyed home an equaliser.
In the 67th minute, the hosts thought they had gone ahead for the first time, with Thabiso Sesane beating Mbanjwa to a dropping ball and heading home emphatically, but the goal was scrapped as the centre-back’s aerial challenge was harshly adjudged to have been a foul.
Arrows had chances to go back in front, including Khumalo hitting the crossbar with a drifting cross, while Nhlanhla Zwane was denied by a sharp save from goalkeeper Jody February.
Sesane threatened again for Siwelele just as the match ticked into injury time, forcing Mbanjwa to tip the ball over the crossbar from a long-range attempt.
Arrows will return to Premiership action next weekend, playing at home to Kaizer Chiefs, while Siwelele’s next league match is at home to Polokwane City on 18 October.
Siwelele FC (0) 1 (Saile 61’)
Golden Arrows (0) 1 (P. Khumalo 49’)
SIWELELE: February, Mfolozi, Sesane, Ngcobo, Baliti, Rasebotja, Kobedi, Potsane (Margeman 71’), Jeza (N’Guessan 61’), Pule, Saile (Mokhachane 83’)
ARROWS: Mbanjwa, Shezi, Agnikoi, Mantshiyane, Maluleke, Maxwele, Zwane, Dlamini, Van Neel (Sithole 71’), P. Khumalo (Van Rooi 81’), Dion