Highlands Park............... (0)1
Mbesuma 71
Cape Town City............. (0)1
Manyama 69
Tembisa - Highlands Park held Cape Town City to a 1-1 draw at Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa on Tuesday night.
Collins Mbesuma’ shot in the second period was enough to see the home side walk away with a point, following a missed number of chances which could have seen them win the match.
The first period turned out to be a one sided affair, with the home side enjoying the most of ball position moving forward in search of an opener.
The Lions of the North created a decent amount of chances, with the hope of breaking a jinx which saw them lose to both Kaizer Chiefs (1-0) and Polokwane City (3-2) in their last two Absa Premiership matches.
Their first clear chance came in the 8th minute, where Rudi Isaacs delivered a beauty of long ball to teammate Khethukuthula Zwane who was unmarked on the far side.
The speedy winger brilliantly controlled the ball with the inside of his left boot, however, failed to convert the chance as it was Shu-Aib Walters who tipped it away from the goal mouth.
City responded with a few attacking moves of their own but the likes of Lehlohonolo Majoro and co in the attacking third, were made to look like amateurs in front of a solid Highlands Park defensive line.
The only thing that was standing in between the Lions of the North to score in their first goal in the first period was not Walters or his rearguard. No; in fact far from it. But it was Highlands’ execution in front of goal in each chance they were presented with. Their shots weren’t powerful enough. They lacked venom to test the opposition’s keeper. Walters made comfortable saves and at times, smiled to himself as he made each save between the sticks.
Highlands could have been 1-0 up before the break, but poor communication between Collins Mbesuma and Mothobi Mvala saw them waist one beautiful chance. The pair head budded each other inside the box following a brilliant cross by Brando Theron on the near side.
The ball went past the goal mouth as the duo collided on top of one another.
Both sides came fired up in pursuit of finding the back of the net and it was City who were the first registered their names on the scoreboard. Lebogang Manyama unleashed a cracker of a shot outside the area to beat the opposition ‘keeper between the sticks in the 69th minute.
Two minutes later Highlands responded with an attacking move of their own and it was Mbesuma who made it 1-1 with a powerful shot inside the area.
Independent Media