Cape Town – Mark Mayambela came to Chippa United's rescue on Friday evening, scoring deep in injury time to clinch a 2-2 draw with high-flying Polokwane City at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
As it happened: Chippa United v Polokwane City
The visitors looked to be heading for a narrow victory as goals from Ayanda Nkili and Rodney Ramagalela – either side of Rhulani Manzini's equaliser – before Mayambela popped up in the dying moments of the game to secure a vital point for the struggling Chilli Boys.
The first half was a relatively low-key affair, with neither side creating very many goal-scoring chances.
Mohammed Anas and Mayambela tested Daniel Akpeyi in the Chippa goal early in the first half, while at the opposite end of the pitch, Thabo Rakhale and Andile Mbenyane were denied by Polokwane keeper Harold Ndlovu.
It was, however, a proverbial game of two halves as the floodgates flew open after the half-time break.
Nkili fired the visitors in front just three minutes in, converting Mbulelo Wagaba's inviting cross from the left, only for Manzini to put the teams back on level terms in the 58th minute.
Ramagalela would be forgiven for thinking he had scored the winning goal in the 79th minute, when he found the back of the net with a deflected right-footed effort, as Chippa struggled to muster a response after falling behind for a second time.
However, Mayambela delivered when he was needed the most, rescuing a crucial point from the jaws of defeat. The Chippa skipper showed his composure, as he hammered a powerful effort past Ndlovu to deny Polokwane second place in the Absa Premiership standings ahead of the weekend's remaining fixtures.
Despite being held to a draw, Rise and Shine move up to third place in the standings, with Sundowns dropping down to fourth, albeit with three games in hand.
