SUBSTITUTE Bongani Ndulula scored 11 minutes from time to rescue a point for AmaZulu with a 1-1 draw against Bloemfontein Celtic in their Premiership clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban yesterday.
Lerato Manzini had opened the scoring for the visitors with a clinical close-range finish after 68 minutes, before replacement forward Ndulula beat Patrick Tignyemb on the second attempt.
The result meant Usuthu climbed up one place on the table to seventh, while Siwelele, without a league win in eight games now, stayed 12th.
Celtic started out far brighter and could even have taken the lead in the opening five minutes when Musa Nyatama dispossessed the lax Tamsanqa Teyise on the left, before cutting inside and firing a low short that had to be tipped wide by a diving Aubrey Mathibe.
Marc van Heerden’s dipping free-kick did pose a threat after 10 minutes at the other end, although the danger was averted by a desperate Thabo Nthethe clearance, while Nyatama Limbikani Mzava had half chances failed to convert.
Usuthu finally had a real opening midway through the half when a poor clearance from Thabo Nthethe fell to Ayanda Dlamini, who had two chances to get in a shot – the first struck a defender and came back to him with the second trickling through to Tignyemb.
Just after the halfhour, and both they the Siwelele goalkeeper had to be at his best to keep out both Ayanda and Goodman Dlamini, the latter’s low 20-yard effort tipped onto the upright, before Tignyemb spread his body to block the former’s effort.
Just before the break, Rodrick Mutuma managed to shrug off Carlington Nyadombo on his way into the penalty area, but appeared to lose his balance when shooting wide.
And as the match entered stoppage time, Mathibe was again drawn into an acrobatic save to keep out a curling 18-yard shot by Manzini.
It was goalless at the break and following a dour start to the second period, Celtic went in front when a flowing move down the left resulted in Nyatama’s slick ball picking out Manzini in the middle, with the striker applying the simple finish.
Usuthu’s response was a stern one as Nkosinathi Mthiyane first shot agonisingly across the face of goal, before Ayanda watched his curling effort from a similar distance on the edge of the box fingertipped wide by Tignyemb.
Moments later Teyise should have levelled, but instead put his header from a corner kick wide with the ball less than a metre off the goal line.
However, there was no denying Ndulula with the former Orlando Pirates forward converting Van Heerden’s cross in the 79th minute. — Sapa
AmaZulu snatch last gasp draw
Lerato Manzini had opened the scoring for the visitors with a clinical close-range finish after 68 minutes, before replacement forward Ndulula beat Patrick Tignyemb on the second attempt.
The result meant Usuthu climbed up one place on the table to seventh, while Siwelele, without a league win in eight games now, stayed 12th.
Celtic started out far brighter and could even have taken the lead in the opening five minutes when Musa Nyatama dispossessed the lax Tamsanqa Teyise on the left, before cutting inside and firing a low short that had to be tipped wide by a diving Aubrey Mathibe.
Marc van Heerden’s dipping free-kick did pose a threat after 10 minutes at the other end, although the danger was averted by a desperate Thabo Nthethe clearance, while Nyatama Limbikani Mzava had half chances failed to convert.
Usuthu finally had a real opening midway through the half when a poor clearance from Thabo Nthethe fell to Ayanda Dlamini, who had two chances to get in a shot – the first struck a defender and came back to him with the second trickling through to Tignyemb.
Just after the halfhour, and both they the Siwelele goalkeeper had to be at his best to keep out both Ayanda and Goodman Dlamini, the latter’s low 20-yard effort tipped onto the upright, before Tignyemb spread his body to block the former’s effort.
Just before the break, Rodrick Mutuma managed to shrug off Carlington Nyadombo on his way into the penalty area, but appeared to lose his balance when shooting wide.
And as the match entered stoppage time, Mathibe was again drawn into an acrobatic save to keep out a curling 18-yard shot by Manzini.
It was goalless at the break and following a dour start to the second period, Celtic went in front when a flowing move down the left resulted in Nyatama’s slick ball picking out Manzini in the middle, with the striker applying the simple finish.
Usuthu’s response was a stern one as Nkosinathi Mthiyane first shot agonisingly across the face of goal, before Ayanda watched his curling effort from a similar distance on the edge of the box fingertipped wide by Tignyemb.
Moments later Teyise should have levelled, but instead put his header from a corner kick wide with the ball less than a metre off the goal line.
However, there was no denying Ndulula with the former Orlando Pirates forward converting Van Heerden’s cross in the 79th minute. — Sapa
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