Marumo Gallants halted a two-match winless run in the DStv Premiership after they beat Cape Town City 2-1 in dramatic fashion at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday evening.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa drew first blood in Polokwane when Ranga Chivaviro gave them a 42nd-minute lead, but Wayde Lekay hit back for Eric Tinkler’s side in the 84th minute to seemingly earn a share of the spoils.
However, Chivaviro had the final say as he struck again deep into added time to clinch a last-gasp victory that took the Limpopo club two points clear of the bottom two in 11th place, with the Citizens dropping to 12th in the standings.
Gallants were seeking their second win under Dan Malesela which would lift them out of the relegation zone, while City looked to make it back-to-back victories after beating Chippa United 2-1 in midweek.
The game got off to a frenetic start, with the hosts threatening to break the deadlock in the opening minute when Katlego Otladisa lined up a shot from range that drew a fine save out of Darren Keet.
Luke Daniels was presented with a chance at the other end two minutes later as he steered a header wide of the left post from Thamsanqa Mkhize’s cross.
Things settled down after that and the Mother City outfit enjoyed more of the ball in the first half, although Gallants were knocking on the door again just before the half-hour mark when Otladisa forced Keet into another save with a shot from inside the box.
Daniels did manage to hit the target with his next attempt on 36 minutes, but his shot from inside the area was straight at Washington Arubi.
Sibusiso Sibeko made way for Chivaviro soon afterwards and the substitute made an immediate impact as he opened the scoring just four minutes after stepping off the bench, slotting home into the bottom left corner of the net after being picked out by Sizwe Mdlinzo inside the area.
Tinkler introduced Khanyisa Mayo at the start of the second half and City’s top scorer quickly got involved in the action with a header that needed saving from Darwin Gonzalez’s cross on 47 minutes.
Otladisa had another sniff at goal on the hour mark as he tested Keet with a strike from range, while back up the other end Mayo sent a long-range effort just wide of the left post on 68 minutes.
City ramped up the pressure in the closing stages as they went in search of an equaliser, with Mpho Makola directing a header just beyond the left post from a 76th-minute corner before Arubi produced two saves in the space of two minutes to keep out a close-range header and then a long-range strike from Lekay.
Their efforts were finally rewarded six minutes from time when Lekay beat Arubi from inside the area after latching onto Makola’s exquisite pass.
Both teams had chances to snatch all three points at the death, with Keet producing a save to keep out Chivaviro’s shot from distance, while Mayo dragged a shot from inside the box fractionally wide of the right post.
There would be one final twist as Chivaviro pounced in the fifth minute of stoppage time, firing past Keet from inside the area to hand Gallants a precious victory.
Marumo Gallants (1) 2 (Chivaviro 42′, 90+5′)
Cape Town City (0) 1 (Lekay 84′)
Marumo Gallants: W. Arubi, T. Khiba, T. Gumede, O. Toure, L. Mabotja, S. Kumalo, J. Malongoane, C. Ngema (M. Mphambaniso 73′), S. Mdlinzo, K. Otladisa (L. Nku 73′), S. Sibeko (R. Chivaviro 38′).
Cape Town City: D. Keet, T. Mkhize, T. Fielies, I. Fasika (K. Cupido 25′), L. Lakay, R. Mokhuoane, T. Nodada (M. Makola 63′), M. Mdantsane (W. Lekay 76′), K. Drammeh (J. Rhodes 63′), D. Gonzalez, L. Daniels (K. Mayo 46′).
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