CAPE TOWN – Benni McCarthy and his Citizens had to make do with another draw, their fourth of the season, after a late penalty denied them all the points in a 1-1 draw with Golden Arrows at Cape Town Stadium yesterday.
It was perhaps a fair result at the end of the 95-minute contest as both sides had chances to win it outright. After a cagey start from both sides, City started to grow in confidence. In the final third of the half, they came close to taking the lead when Taariq Fielies was on the end of a cross into the 18 yard area and headed downwards, only to be denied by Arrows’ goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda who up until that point in the 39th minute had been untroubled.
The In-form pair of Kermit Erasmus and Thabo Nodada - who have scored five goals between them - weren’t seeing much of the ball as most of the action was down the flanks, and this would have concerned City coach Benni McCarthy.
Just before the break the hosts lost midfielder Abbubaker Mobara to what looked like a serious leg injury and he was replaced by Mpho Makola.
Kermit Eramus celebrates goal during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 football match between Cape Town City and Golden Arrows on Sunday. Photo: BackpagePix
Erasmus opened the scoring seven minutes into the second half when he calmly finished off a move that caught Arrows’ back four napping.
It was his fourth goal of the campaign and a little later it nearly became five when he found space down the right and struck a low shot but it was well saved by Sibanda.
Arrows created a clear-cut chance for midfielder Danny Phiri when he was put into space in the centre of the penalty area, but he fired over the Peter Leeuwenburgh’s crossbar, leaving coach Steve Komphela shaking his head in disbelief.
The visitors kept the pressure on and were rewarded with a penalty in the 87th minute following a a foul committed by Cape Town City defender Ebrahim Seedat
Substitute Knox Mutizwa made no mistake with his effort past Leeuwenburgh to snare his side a share of the spoils.