Mbombela Stadium - A dramatic stoppage-time equaliser from veteran defender Zamuxolo Ngalo saw Mpumalanga Black Aces snatch a 2-2 draw as Kaizer Chiefs were denied a chance to banish their recent woes and had a merited win taken away from them in Nelspruit on Tuesday night.
The result effectively ended any outside hopes of staying in the title race‚ but Chiefs can be pleased with a much improved performance‚ even though they have now gone seven games without success.
Ngalo swept home the tying goal three minutes in stoppage time just as Chiefs looked set to beat Aces for the third time this season.
“We have to accept fate‚ we had worked hard‚” said a disappointed Steve Komphela‚ who side stay fourth but now on 40 points. “We played unbelievable football only to suffer this setback.”
Komphela tried a new attacking approach with a quartet of Siphiwe Tshabalala‚ William Thwala‚ Bernard Parker and the returning George Lebese in an effort to end a run of almost nine hours without a goal.
And they broke their drought of 523 minutes in bizarre circumstances in the 20th minute. A floated ball from Tshabalala in search of Parker flew not only over the intended recipient but also two Aces defenders and goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane‚ who got his angles all wrong in attempting to come out and collect the ball. He collided with skipper Ngalo as he embarrassing missed the ball and allowed Tshabalala to claim a goal from all of close to 40m out.
It was the first for AmaKhosi since Mulomowandau Mathoho scored against Polokwane City near the end of February.
But Aces might have been right back in the contest within six minutes as Aubrey Ngoma’s mazy run saw him cut deep inside the Chiefs’ penalty area before playing across to Collins Mbesuma‚ who let the pass slip away from him‚ leaving Vincent Kobola and Thabo Nodada to try and put it in the net from just a metre out but somehow they both managed to miscue the golden opportunity.
Bongolethu Jayiya had two efforts after that which both went wide before Chiefs came storming down field with a series of smart passes with Tshabalala feeding Parker‚ who turned Ngalo inside out before slamming his shot full onto the crossbar. An inch lower and Chiefs would have been 2-0 up in the 36th minute.
Mabokgwane made a good save in stoppage time to deny Lebese’ stinging shot.
Jayiya equalised early in the second half after hitting a shot on the full volley across Reyaad Pieterse‚ in for the injured Itumeleng Khune.
But Aces were level for only eight minutes before Willard Katsande stole the ball away from Mpho Matsi to unleash from range and saw his shot take a deflection to beat Mabokgwane n the 61st minute.
There were a hat full of chances after that for Chiefs to make sure but almost inevitably they paid the price for failing upfront.
Daniel Cardoso’s error allowed Judas Moeameedi away to set up Ngalo for a dramatic ending.
Aces stay in fifth spot and have now gone eight league matches without a win since they beat Chippa United at the end of January. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital
Black Aces equaliser ends Chiefs’ title hopes
The result effectively ended any outside hopes of staying in the title race‚ but Chiefs can be pleased with a much improved performance‚ even though they have now gone seven games without success.
Ngalo swept home the tying goal three minutes in stoppage time just as Chiefs looked set to beat Aces for the third time this season.
“We have to accept fate‚ we had worked hard‚” said a disappointed Steve Komphela‚ who side stay fourth but now on 40 points. “We played unbelievable football only to suffer this setback.”
Komphela tried a new attacking approach with a quartet of Siphiwe Tshabalala‚ William Thwala‚ Bernard Parker and the returning George Lebese in an effort to end a run of almost nine hours without a goal.
And they broke their drought of 523 minutes in bizarre circumstances in the 20th minute. A floated ball from Tshabalala in search of Parker flew not only over the intended recipient but also two Aces defenders and goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane‚ who got his angles all wrong in attempting to come out and collect the ball. He collided with skipper Ngalo as he embarrassing missed the ball and allowed Tshabalala to claim a goal from all of close to 40m out.
It was the first for AmaKhosi since Mulomowandau Mathoho scored against Polokwane City near the end of February.
But Aces might have been right back in the contest within six minutes as Aubrey Ngoma’s mazy run saw him cut deep inside the Chiefs’ penalty area before playing across to Collins Mbesuma‚ who let the pass slip away from him‚ leaving Vincent Kobola and Thabo Nodada to try and put it in the net from just a metre out but somehow they both managed to miscue the golden opportunity.
Bongolethu Jayiya had two efforts after that which both went wide before Chiefs came storming down field with a series of smart passes with Tshabalala feeding Parker‚ who turned Ngalo inside out before slamming his shot full onto the crossbar. An inch lower and Chiefs would have been 2-0 up in the 36th minute.
Mabokgwane made a good save in stoppage time to deny Lebese’ stinging shot.
Jayiya equalised early in the second half after hitting a shot on the full volley across Reyaad Pieterse‚ in for the injured Itumeleng Khune.
But Aces were level for only eight minutes before Willard Katsande stole the ball away from Mpho Matsi to unleash from range and saw his shot take a deflection to beat Mabokgwane n the 61st minute.
There were a hat full of chances after that for Chiefs to make sure but almost inevitably they paid the price for failing upfront.
Daniel Cardoso’s error allowed Judas Moeameedi away to set up Ngalo for a dramatic ending.
Aces stay in fifth spot and have now gone eight league matches without a win since they beat Chippa United at the end of January. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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