Chippa fight back to hold Royal

football21 January 2023 15:28| © Backpage TXT

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Chippa United fought back from a goal down to salvage a 1-1 draw away to Royal AM in a DStv Premiership clash at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Thwihli Thwahla looked to be on course for a second victory in their last three league outings thanks to Motebang Sera’s early strike, but the Chilli Boys’ Etiosa Ighodaro equalised late in the second half to salvage a draw.

The result means Royal have won just once in their last six Premiership matches, while Chippa are winless in seven straight league fixtures – with the sides placed 10th and ninth respectively.

Royal started brightly and claimed the lead as early as the sixth minute: Levy Mashiane did great work down the left flank and played in a low cross which allowed Motebang Sera to stab home a shot at the near post after sneaking into a gap between the central defenders.

Chippa looked to work their way back into the game and put together some fine passing moves, with one promising attack in the 20th minute ending with Zuko Mdunyelwa striking an effort wide from the edge of the penalty area.

The pace of the game dropped off drastically after the midway point of the first half, with both teams clearly pacing themselves in the fierce Durban heat, and it was no surprise that the interval arrived with the score still 1-0 in favour of the hosts.

Thwihli Thwahla made a change at the start of the second half, with centre-back Ricardo Nascimento (who appeared to suffer a minor knock in the first 45 minutes) replaced by Samuel Manganyi.

Chippa made the first clear chance of the second half, with a slick passing move putting Siphelele Luthuli into space behind the home side’s defence, but his low shot on goal was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Hugo Nyame on 57 minutes.

The Eastern Cape side had another opportunity to equalise on 80 minutes when Royal failed to properly clear a corner and saw the ball drop on the edge of the box for Ronaldo Maarman, but the substitute struck his effort wide of the mark.

The visiting team kept plugging away and were rewarded in the 82nd minute, as Maarman played in a low ball from the left and Etiosa Ighodaro did great work to hold off a couple of defenders, turn and squeeze a shot beyond Nyame at the near post for 1-1.

Thwihli Thwahla could have reclaimed the lead in the penultimate minute of regulation time when a well-orchestrated move put substitute Jabulani Ncobeni into a fine shooting position, but he blazed his effort over to see the game end all square.

The teams will be back in DStv Premiership action next Sunday, 29 January, with Royal visiting Kaizer Chiefs and Chippa hosting Maritzburg United.

Royal AM (1) 1 (Sera 6’) Chippa United (0) 1 (Ighodaro 82’)

Royal: Nyame, Rikhotoso, Dlamini, Nascimento (Manganyi 46’), Matlaba, Mashiane (Nyarko 56’), Sikakane, Pelembe, Masuku (Ncobeni 70’), Potsane (Thikazi 55’), Sera (Machupu 69’)

Chippa: Kazapua, Mdunyelwa, Pietersen, Ntsabo, Chabalala, Poggenpoel (Konqobe 63’), Mayo (Maarman 63’), Mkhize, Lebitso (Manona 90+2’), Luthuli, Ighodaro