Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United battled to a 1-1 draw in the Tshwane derby on Tuesday evening.
Grant Kekana, Themba Zwane, Matias Esquivel and Gaston Sirino made a return for the Brazilians, who were without Lucas Ribeiro Costa through injury, while the loan agreement prevented SuperSport from using goalkeeper Ricardo Goss and Etiosa Ighodaro against their parent club.
Thembinkosi Lorch looked to work a piece of magic from a cutback by Marcelo Allende, butt went down on the deck and was booked for simulation earlier on.
Lorch was in the thick of things on the half-hour mark when he combined with Sirino to set-up Teboho Mokoena to fire in the near post with a superb strike from distance against his former side.
SuperSport levelled three minutes later as Bradley Grobler popped up in an unmarked position out at the far post to meet Lyle Lakay's curling free-kick and finished with aplomb.
Mokoena looked to restore to the lead later on when he lined-up yet another long-range, but Arubi gathered this time around.
At the other end, SuperSport came inches close to going in front from a cutback to Grobler in the box but Divine Lunga intervened and denied him.
Grobler didn't come out for the second half following the challenge by Lunga, with Terrence Dzvukamanja brought on as his replacement.
Sundowns closed-in minutes later through a low snap shot from a tight angle by Lorch, but Arubi pushed it behind for a corner.
The visiting team were quite close to the lead when a loose ball in the box fell perfectly to Tendamudzimu Matodzi, but he mis-fired with the goal in sight.
Both teams went for the winner inside full-time, with young Thabang Mahlangu clean through for United only to be denied by the offside flag thus it finished level pegging.
Confirmed line-ups:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Mdunyelwa, Lunga, Kekana, Zungu, Mokoena, Zwane, Allende, Esquivel, Lorch, Sirino
Subs: D.Onyango, Boutouil, Morena, Aubaas, Mbule, Maboe, Matthews, Mendieta, Shalulile
SuperSport United: Arubi, Baloyi, Ndlovu, Margeman, Hlatshwayo, Okon, Matdodzi, Lakay, Campbell, Lungu, Grobler.
Subs: Xulu, Sam, Allan, Bhasera, Siy, Xulu, Makubo, Nange, Dzvukamanja, Moralo, Mahlangu
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!