Johannesburg - Ten-man Platinum Stars bravely withstood Orlando Pirates’ pressure spells in the closing stages to secure an away 1-1 draw in their Absa Premiership clash at the Orlando Stadium, Soweto, on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams enjoyed indifferent form at the end of last season and were looking to restart the second half of the season on a positive note.
Dikwena as Platinum Stars are known to their faithful have not won in their last three league outings, while Pirates managed a mere four points in as many matches.
Stars managed a few early runs into the Pirates half but they failed to strike up an understanding with their front-runners and this was the case for the rest of the half. As a result, the Pirates’ defence lived a charmed life.
A big difference in the playing styles of the two teams was that Pirates attacked in numbers and the Stars’ defence looked increasingly vulnerable.
Pirates’ Thabo Matlaba struck a 19th minute shot from just outside the penalty area and his effort screamed past a crowded goalmouth but narrowly missed the target,
Around the halfway mark in the first half Pirates were enjoying 60% possession but they were not creating scoring opportunities. Instead their most threatening plays came when they were on the break.
One such 34th-minute counter-attack provided the platform for Pirates’ opening goal when Kermit Erasmus headed on a goalmouth cross and the Senegalese goal-poacher slotted the ball into the net with two Stars’ defenders alongside him failing to offer a challenge (1-0). It was Sarr’s second goal of the season.
Dikwena made several sorties into the Pirates’ soon afterwards in search of the equaliser but they lacked the players upfront to apply the finishing touch.
Just ahead of the break they were unfortunate to be awarded a penalty.
Stars’ Tshepo Gumede was a 17th-minute yellow card offender although more players could have suffered the same fate in a half that served up at least five fouls from either side.
With pouring rain greeting early second-half play, Pirates surrendered their lead in the 48th minute when Stars’Ndumiso Mabena, positioned opposite the near post, met a kick into the opposition’s goalmouth with a deft header that dipped under the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane (1-1).
Despite the prevailing elements which included thundering lightning bolts in the skies around the stadium and a slippery surface, the players kept the game flowing from one end to the other without threatening the scoreline.
In the 74th minute, referee Victor Hlungwani gave Dikwena’s captain Vuyo Mere his marching orders after second bookable offence which was time wasting at a free-kick set-piece. Mere picked up his first yellow in the 61st minute.
Pirates managed the pile on the pressure but the 10-man Stars outfit held out a further score. Pirates did themselves no favours by looking to make an extra pass when a direct approach was required in the opposition goalmouth.
Stars’ Tintswalo Tshabalala (87th minute) and Pirates’ Thandani Ntshumayelo (48) were the other second-half yellow card defenders.
African News Agency