Chiefs strike late to sneak draw against ten-man Gallants

Zitha Kwinika went from villain to hero on Sunday, saving Kaizer Chiefs and himself total embarrassment with a late header that earned Amakhosi a 1-1 DStv Premiership draw with Marumo Gallants at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

ALSO READ: Riveiro happy with Pirates bounce back

Gallants had reason to feel hard done by, as Kwinika looked offside from Kgaogelo Sekgota’s flick on as he nodded in at the back post with five minutes left.

It was also a leveller that Arthur Zwane’s Amakhosi barely merited, having created so little after falling behind to Mahlatse Makudubela’s early goal, and having played the last 25 minutes or so with Gallants reduced to ten men.

Gallants had started the game at the bottom of the DStv Premiership, but caught Chiefs, and Kwinika in particular, napping in the 12^th minute.

There didn’t look like much on, as Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo gathered the ball in midfield, and his pass toward Makudubela seemed like it would be fairly easily intercepted by Kwinika.

The Chiefs defender, however, only succeeded in nudging the ball into the path of the Gallants striker, and Makudubela finished brilliantly past a stranded Itumeleng Khune.

Five minutes before the break, Ashley Du Preez drilled a shot just wide from the edge of the box, but Gallants’ Ugandan goalkeeper Ismail Watenga did not face a shot on target in the entire opening 45 minutes.

Arthur Zwane responded by bringing on Burundi striker Caleb Bimenyimana for Matlou. But it was Gallants who threatened again almost immediately, Khune having to be alert to keep out a cross from Katlego Otladisa, just before it arrived at the feet of Junior Dion.

Bimenyimana then almost got in on the act as Yusuf Maart won the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and sent the Burundian sprinting towards goal. Watenga came off his line and made a hash of the clearance, but just managed to get the ball again before the Chiefs striker.

Gallants were reduced to ten men in the 66^th minute, as Olivier Toure was sent off for a second yellow card after catching Du Preez with a high boot. It looked like a fair decision from referee Thokozani Mkhize for that booking, though the first yellow, for a foul on Sekgota, was soft.

Chiefs looked short on ideas but finally managed an equaliser as Sekgota flicked on Sifiso Hlanti’s corner, and Zwinika did the rest.