Mamelodi Sundowns struck deep in injury time to secure a 1-1 draw away to Kaizer Chiefs in the first leg of the teams’ MTN8 semifinal, played at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Amakhosi looked on course for a famous ‘smash and grab’ victory after Edson Castillo put them ahead with their only effort on target through the game, but Khuliso Mudau popped up with a superbly-taken equaliser to ensure the score is level heading into the deciding second leg in Tshwane later this month.
Sundowns dominated ball possession from early on and succeeded in controlling the tempo of the game, though they struggled to find a way through Chiefs’ resilient defence, with the only notable effort in the opening half hour coming from Lucas Ribeiro Costa, who called goalkeeper Brandon Petersen into action with an attempted lob in the 22nd minute.
The Brazilians suffered an unlucky injury blow when the influential Themba Zwane was accidentally caught in the face by the heel of Yusuf Maart, forcing the 37th minute introduction of Lesiba Nku off the substitutes’ bench.
The lengthy break which encompassed the injury seemed to temporarily affect the concentration of Chiefs’ defence, with Ribeiro Costa immediately able to find the time and space to unleash a left-footed drive which forced a sharp save from Petersen.
Yet the hosts soon rediscovered their discipline and were able to keep the score line blank up to the halftime interval.
The start of the second half saw the Amakhosi introduce Colombian forward Jasond Gonzalez to make his official debut, but it was another South American, Venezuelan Edson Castillo, who broke the deadlock in the 61st minute.
The hosts worked an overload down the right flank which ended with Ashley Du Preez whipping a fine cross toward the far post, and Castillo snuck in on the blind of Rivaldo Coetzee before scoring with a diving header to make it 1-0.
Sundowns almost came up with a reply in the 67th minute as Ribeiro Costa surged forward and struck on target from the edge of the box, but Petersen was once again equal to the task.
The visitors opted for a triple change with a quarter hour of regulation time remaining, throwing on Terrence Mashego, Bathusi Aubaas and youngster Siyabonga Mabena in an effort to bring themselves level in the game.
On 83 minutes an equaliser almost materialised, with Marcelo Allende’s intelligent attempt to catch Petersen off his forcing the ‘keeper to make a scrambling save in which he caught the effort and almost carried it over the goal line – doing just enough to ensure the whole of the ball did not cross the whole of the line.
The match looked set to end 1-0 in favour of the home side, but three minutes into injury time at the end of the game the Brazilians equalised: substitute Junior Mendieta provided a superb in-swinging cross from the left and Khuliso Mudau sent a bullet header beyond even the excellent Petersen to ensure the game ended 1-1.
The return leg will be played at Lucas Moripe Stadium on the afternoon of Saturday 23 September.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Castillo 61’)
Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 1 (Mudau 90+3’)
Chiefs: Petersen, Msimango, Kwinika, Ditlhokwe, Hlanti, Maart, Castillo, Mdantsane (Gonzalez 46’), Mmodi (Matlou 79’), Potsane (Frosler 79’), Du Preez
Sundowns: Williams, Mvala, Coetzee (Aubaas 76’), Boutouil (Mabena 76’), Mudau, Mokoena, Allende, Maema (Mendieta 65’), Modiba (Mashego 76’), Zwane (Nku 37’), Ribeiro Costa