Top-of-the-table clash ends all square
Log leaders Bidvest Wits maintained their two-point lead over Mamelodi Sundowns at the summit after playing to a 1-1 draw at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday evening.
Wayne Arendse of Sundowns fouls Fagrie Lakay of Bidvest Wits and is sent off given red card during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 football match between Bidvest Wits and Mamelodi Sundowns at Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg on 23 February 2019 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
In what was ultimately a somewhat cagey and evenly-contested encounter, both goals came in the opening half as Phakamani Mahlambi gave the Brazilians an early advantage and then Gift Motupa equalised for the home side on the half hour mark, before Sundowns defender Wayne Arendse was sent off in the 37th minute.
The Tshwane outfit got off to a flying start when with only six minutes played, Wits defender Keegan Ritchie lost possession which allowed Lebohang Maboe to get to the byline and cross, and after goalkeeper Darren Keet could only parry the ball, Mahlambi was on hand to fire into the roof of the net from close range against his former club.
The Students had a great chance to draw level just a few minutes later when Ritchie whipped in a cross, but from a few metres out, Motupa was only able to send his header against the woodwork.
It was, however, Motupa who was to bring the hosts back into the game when he dispossessed Ricardo Nascimento on the edge of the area and beat Sundowns keeper Denis Onyango with a sublime chip on 29 minutes.
Eight minutes later and things got even worse for Masandawana, when defender Wayne Arendse was shown a straight red card after he tugged down a goal-bound Fagrie Lakay.
Deon Hotto could have driven home Wits’ advantage towards the end of the first stanza, but wasted the chance with a poorly-struck shot.
The second half was evenly matched as both sides probed for openings, but scoring chances were in very short supply as neither team was able to find penetration in the final third of the field.
There was an opportunity for the home side 20 minutes from time when Sifiso Hlanti collected the ball 25-yards out and fired in a low shot, but it was always heading into the side-netting.
Soon after, Sundowns suffered another setback when an injury to Onyango saw him replaced by Reyaad Pieterse.
In the end though it seemed as if both sides were pretty happy to play for a draw as there were no further chances in Johannesburg.
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