Black Leopards came back from a 0-2 deficit and held Platinum Stars to a 2-2 draw in their Absa Premiership League match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg on Saturday afternoon (17 September).
The visitors from Thohoyandou were too good for Stars in the midfield, but they failed to create scoring chances, as the home side was strong at the back. In the 13th minute, Stanely Kgatla called the Leopards' keeper into action with an accurately struck 20-yard free kick. The Leopards keeper, Postnet Omony, made a good save by diving to his left to palm the shot away from danger. After that single attempt, the confidence of the home side started to grow and they began creating a couple of goal-scoring opportunities and applied pressure on the Leopards' danger area.
It was in the 24th minute when Stars made the pressure pay off. Lebo Ramolesa was on the end of a cross and headed the ball back into the box, from where Solomon Mathe hooked in a loose ball to make it 1-0.
The former Leopards captain, Robert Ngambi, scored Stars' second goal on the stroke of half time, with an 18-yard drive that left Omony with no chance.
Lidoda Duvha came back strongly in the last half. Rodney Ramagalela was in the thick of the action when he scored from outside the box with a volley in the 50th minute. Leopards continued to press forward as Stars tried to defend their lead. They found the equaliser in the 80th minute when their Zimbabwean international, Kingston Nkhatha, beat the keeper from the edge of the box.
Stars came close to scoring again in the 89th minute, but Robert Ngambi's header hit the woodwork and bounced away from danger.
* Black Leopards are faced with a mammoth task this weekend. They will play against Maritzburg United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. It remains to be seen whether United will continue with their good run, after beating Golden Arrows 2-0 last weekend.
United are still to lose a league match this season. Leopards will be welcoming back their right back, Moses Kwena, who was serving a suspension after seeing red in their game against Lamontville Golden Arrows last month. The good news for Lidoda Duvha is that their strikers, Rodney Ramagalela and Kingston Nkhatha, are in a scoring mood of late. The Leopards' defence must keep a watchful eye on United's strikers, Diyo Sibisi, Kurt Lentjies and Felix Obada.
Tomorrow´s other PSL fixtures are: Bidvest Wits vs Amazulu (Bidvest Stadium); Bloemfontein Celtic vs Kaizer Chiefs (Seisa Ramabodu Stadium); Lamontville Golden Arrows vs Santos (King Zwelithini Stadium) and Orlando Pirates vs Mamelodi Sundowns (Orlando Stadium)
Sunday´s matches are: Moroka Swallows vs Jomo Cosmos (Dobsonville Stadium) and Supersport United vs Platinum Stars (Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium).