CAPE TOWN – It's a real pity that spectators are not allowed into Cape Town Stadium at the moment due to Covid-19 for every Cape Town City home game is proving to be thrilling entertainment.
Last week the hosts fell short in a pulsating encounter with Kaizer Chiefs, but this week they set the record straight in a drama-filled 4-2 victory over the previously unbeaten Golden Arrows.
Both sides showed a willingness to get players forward in this high-tempo contest, but it was City that came roaring out of the starting blocks.
Jan Olde Riekerink's team favour the high press to pressurise the opposition into mistakes, which caused Arrows to gasp for air during the early exchanges. City controlled possession during this period and it did not take long for City to create an opportunity through Thato Mokeke.
The industrious midfielder unleashed a pile river towards the Arrows goal from outside the box, but Sifiso Mlungwana rose acrobatically to tip the ball over the crossbar.
4️⃣ goal scorers today 🔥🔥🔥
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) January 24, 2021
⚽️ Martin 14’
⚽️ Fielies 62’
⚽️ Mdantsane 75’
⚽️ Lakay 83’#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/6uS7xe7ICI
It was the start of a busy afternoon for the South Africa u-23 shot-stopper with new City signing Justin Shonga, who was making his home debut, shooting wide moments later.
Mlungwana, though, had no answer to Craig Martin's strike after 15 minutes when the winger-turned-defender finished off a delightful move down the right flank with a crisp shot that rattled the Arrows net.
The City goal, however, seemed to awake the KwaZulu-Natal side from their Sunday afternoon slumber as they started to regain some of the possession.
This resulted in City conceding a free kick inside their half, which allowed Arrows to float a hopeful ball into the opposition penalty area. It proved to be profitable for the visitors with Mathome Mathiane heading the ball down into the path for Velemseni Ndwandwe to toe poke home the equalizer from close range.
Arrows took this momentum into the halftime break and immediately forced City into an error after the interval when Taariq Fielies clumsily committed a foul on Knox Mutizwa inside the penalty area. The Zimbabwean brushed off the challenge and got up to covert the resultant spot kick to propel Arrows into a 2-1 lead.
A phenomenal performance from Mdu Mdantsane to win the #DStvPrem MOTM award! 🏆
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) January 24, 2021
8️⃣ goals so far this season 💥#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/YU0QC4ostS
At that stage it certainly seemed that City's frustrating ability to concede soft goals would come back to haunt them once again, but it was that man Fielies that stepped up to avenge his earlier error.
The lanky defender rose magestically above the Arrows defence to meet a corner from Bradley Ralani that he headed forcefully past Mlungwana to level the game up at 2-2.
Both teams were not content to share the points, though, as Arrows launched another raid on the City goal, but on this occasion Peter Leewenburgh closed down the angle on Mutizwa who only had the big Dutchman to beat.
City immediately made Arrows rue the miss when Mokeke unleashed a delightful through ball to set Mduduzi Mdantsane free. The in-form midfielder needed no second invitation and rounded Mlungwana to bang home his eighth goal of the season.
A glorious afternoon for the home team at the 2010 World Cup stadium was cemented when Fagrie Lakay's determination was rewarded through a brilliant finish. The hard-working striker had chased down a long bouncing ball and managed to get his foot to it just before the advancing Mlungwana and the ball sailed into the empty Arrows net to close out the game.
FULL TIME CONFIRMATION@CapeTownCityFC 4-2 Lamontville Golden Arrows#DSTvPrem #DurbanHasMore #OurStoryContinues pic.twitter.com/gblpdjeTFV
— Lamontville Golden Arrows FC (@goldenarrowsfc1) January 24, 2021
Meanwhile, Supersport United defeated Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandile 2-0 through goals from the league's top scorer Bradley Grobler and Sipho Mbule.
The victory saw Supersport go joint top with Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.
IOL Sport