Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns settled for a share of the spoils in their heavyweight Betway Premiership bout, drawing 1-1 at a sold-out FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A cagey and uninspiring first-half was followed by a much more entertaining second stanza, in which the Amakhosi claimed the lead via Langelihle Phili’s first goal for the Soweto club, before the Brazilians hit back via Cassius Mailula.
Chiefs remained top of the log with seven points from three matches, while Sundowns are sixth on four points – having played one game fewer thus far.
The first half was a frustrating affair which featured more yellow cards than scoring chances, as Inacio Miguel and Thabo Moloisane (Chiefs), as well as Brayan Leon and Bathusi Aubaas (Sundowns) ended up in the referee’s book.
The visitors had more possession and generally looked the more cohesive side in an attacking sense, though the hosts had the only effort on target in the first 45 minutes: late in the half a set piece found Inacio Miguel, who put a header on target, but Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was well placed to make a comfortable save.
Williams made another important contribution 10 minutes into the second half, challenging Thabiso Monyane after the overlapping full-back threatened to score from just inside the box after running onto a superb diagonal pass from Langelihle Phili.
The latter Chiefs player then broke the deadlock in style in the 63rd minute, stabbing home from the left of the box after great work from Siphesihle Ndlovu to drive into the danger area and take several defenders out of the equation.
Sundowns hit back in the 76th minute via substitute Cassius Mailula, who surprisingly beat goalkeeper Brandon Petersen to a looping ball in the box and headed home (with his first touch!) for 1-1 – taking a heavy collision with the Chiefs glovesman in the process.
Both teams had ambitions of securing all three points late in the game and attacks were exchanged in the final quarter hour, plus injury time, but ultimately the match closed with the score level at 1-1.
Sundowns will be back in Premiership action next Wednesday, 19 August, with a catch-up fixture at home to Marumo Gallants, while Chiefs’ next league match is away to Richards Bay a week later.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Phili 63’)
Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 1 (Mailula 76’)
CHIEFS: Petersen, Monyane, Miguel, Moloisane, Kwinika, Mthethwa, Maboe (Mtasingwa 82’), Ndlovu, Mmodi, Phili (Chislett 67’), Baartman (Duba 67’)
SUNDOWNS: Williams, Mudau, Johannes, Gr. Kekana, Modiba (Lunga 90’), Aubaas, Allende, Mkhulise (Mokoena 70’), Matthews (Mailula 75’), Van Wyk (Ndlovu 70’), Leon (Mothiba 90’)