Some shoddy defending proved to be Absa Premiership title chasers Kaizer Chiefs undoing on Saturday night in Polokwane.
The 2-2 stalemate away to Baroka FC means that Amakhosi had failed to take advantage of the fact that their fellow championship rivals were not in action this weekend.
Due to their CAF commitments, Bidvest Wits, SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns were unavailable for domestic action – the perfect opportunity for coach Steve Komphela and his men to put on a bit of pressure at the top.
However, what was a good start to the match, with Mulomowandau Mathoho grabbing an early opener in the fifth minute, unravelled as Chiefs’ overall poor defensive work cost them crucial points.
They had even received a little gift from referee Victor Gomes on the stroke of halftime when striker Bernard Parker, who had set up Mathoho for the first goal, stepped up to convert a penalty and hand Amakhosi back the lead.
Victor Letsoalo had cancelled out Mathoho’s goal.
With Parker celebrating and the Baroka bench dejected, there was still confusion as to why the referee had pointed to the spot and shown a yellow card to Olaleng Shaku.
But the home side then dug deep in the second half and put the Chiefs back-four under immense pressure, until they cracked with 10 minutes remaining on the clock when Mxolisi Kunene blitzed through on a solo run to pull his side level yet again.
These were “bonus” points for Baroka, in the words of co-coach Milton Dlamini earlier in the week, as they look to move away from the bottom of the Premier League table with only nine matches remaining.
A loss would have been devastating to the basement dwellers, although they hardly expected to upset the odds at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night.
Erick Mathoho (No 3) is engulfed by his Kaizer Chiefs teammates after scoring against Baroka. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu, BackpagePix
But this draw will be a confidence booster in their relegation run-in, with fellow strugglers Highlands Park, Bloemfontein Celtic and Free State Stars still to come.
But for Chiefs, it is starting to look like it will take something special to win the title this season.
The Amakhosi did not move from fourth place and have played a few matches more than their title rivals.
A huge disappointed, especially after another side looking to clinch the trophy in Cape Town City also only managing to share the spoils with Celtic in a 0-0 result earlier on Saturday evening.