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Recap
Courageous Usuthu hold Stellies
AmaZulu FC and Stellenbosch FC drew 2-2 in the DStv Premiership match at the Danie Cranie Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The draw left Stellies and Usuthu placed second and eighth respectively on the league standings following an entertaining encounter in the Western Cape.
Usuthu started the match brightly and Lehlohonolo Majoro fired the first shot on target nine minutes into the game, but his low shot was well-saved by goalkeeper Sage Stephens.
The ball fell kindly for Linda Mntambo inside the Stellies box in the 20th minute and he unleashed a powerful which was brilliantly saved by Stephens, who was the busier of the two keepers.
At the other end, Veli Mothwa was not seriously tested in the AmaZulu goal-posts with the Usuthu defence doing well to neutralize the likes of Ashley Du Preez, Stanley Dimgba and Junior Mendieta.
The score was 0-0 during the half-time break with Usuthu having created the better chances in the first stanza.
Stellies came back as an improved side as they were able to exert pressure on the Usuthu defence which crumbled in the 59th minute and they were punished by Nigerian hitman Dimgba.
The left-footed marksman beat Mothwa with a decent finish to hand Stellenbosch FC a 1-0 lead with his compatriot Ibraheem Jabaar grabbing an assist.
Stellenbosch were soon 2-0 up in the 70th minute and this time it was Du Preez, who hit the back of the net to double the hosts’ lead with creative attacker Mendieta providing the assist.
However, substitute Maduna pulled one back for AmaZulu to make it 2-1 with 16 minutes left on the clock and the momentum was with the KwaZulu-Natal giants in the closing stages.
The visitors then snatched a late equalising goal in the 88th minute through another substitute Buchanan, who beat Stephens to ensure that the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Stellenbosch 2 (Dimgba 59, Du Preez 70′)
AmaZulu 2 (Maduna 74′, Buchanan 88′)
Stellenbosch: Stephens, Kwinika, Robertson, Van Rooyen (Titus 73′), Van Heerden (Letsoenyo 85′), Mthethwa, Jabaar, Sinkala,, Mendieta (Msengi 85′), Dimgba (Moseamedi 72′), Du Preez (Khunyedi 90′).
AmaZulu: Mothwa, Gumede, Sikhakhane (Mgwazela 66′), Xoki, Malepe, Qalinge (Ntuli 87′), Makhaula, Mlambo (Maduna 66′), Sithebe, Majoro (De Jong 87′), Mulenga (Buchanan 85′).
