Chippa shut Downs out – yet again
IT SEEMS only a power failure can stop Mamelodi Sundowns from racking up wins at the moment.
Such an assessment would be unfair to Chippa United, though, who held Sundowns to a second draw – this time 0-0 – in the space of three weeks in a two-day Absa Premiership game at Loftus Versveld completed yesterday morning.
These two teams have not been able to beat each other over 180 minutes, Chippa having also drawn 1-1 with Downs in Mdantsane on February 14.
There were extenuating factors to yesterday morning’s result, not least that the game had started on Tuesday night, while winning machine Downs have also been hampered by injuries and a manic schedule.
The match had to be abandoned in the 42nd minute on Tuesday night when the lights went out at Loftus due to a power failure in the Hatfield area of Pretoria.
The two teams, as PSL rules require, could not agree on a time within the next 48 hours for the game to be completed, so the league, mindful no doubt of an already compacted and extended fixtures list, set a time of 10am yesterday.
Sundowns play again tomorrow away against Cape Town City, while Chippa meet Platinum Stars in Rustenburg, so time was of the essence to complete this game.
Downs came into the fixture buoyed by a 2-0 win against arguably their greatest challengers for the title, Bidvest Wits, at this stadium on Saturday.
In that game Downs were already suffering key injuries to right-back Anele Ngcongca, winger Anthony Laffor and forward Khama Billiat, while goalkeeper Denis Onyango went off early.
Wayne Sandilands, Thapelo Morena, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Yannick Zakri had come in against Wits. Downs coach Pitso Mosimane made further tactical changes, introducing Ricardo Nascimento for Wayne Arendse at centre-back, Fares Hachi at left-back for Tebogo Langerman and Lucky Mohomi in midfield for Tiyani Mabunda.
So much rotation in the space of a few games – even for Sundowns, as they play catch-up in a manic schedule – must not be easy on rhythm.
Even before the overnight disruption, the 42 minutes played on Tuesday were flatly contested by both sides.
There was a clear chance to either side in the half.
In the 17th minute Mohomi’s dipping ball from right midfield dropped onto the head of Hlompo Kekana, whose sharp header at Daniel Akpeyi had to be taken at the second bite by Chippa’s goalkeeper.
In the 32nd minute Andile Mbenyane curled a shot from the left that appeared headed for the top-right corner before a fine onearm intercept by Sandilands.
The second half saw Downs enjoy the greater part of offensive play, but lacking their normal deadliness in a final pass.
With no clear scoring opportunities coming, with 15 minutes remaining Mosimane brought on Leonardo Castro for Themba Zwane, Teko Modise for Zakri and Asavela Mbekile for Sibusiso Vilakazi.
The changes had the desired result as Castro got a shot on goal, almost pulling off a finish.
Modise’s shot from range came very close as Downs pushed hard at the end. — TMG