Marumo Gallants held out with 10 men in the second half to frustrate Kaizer Chiefs to a 1-all draw in the DStv Premiership clash at Royal Bafokeng on Sunday afternoon.
Mahlatse Makudubela’s 12th-minute strike gave Bahlabane Ba Ntwa a lead in the first half, thanks to Philip Ndlondlo’s champagne pass.
But Arthur Zwane’s men failed to make their man advantage count in the second half as the Limpopo club showed resilience to dig out a precious point that strengthened their confidence against the Soweto giants.
The showdown went into the half-time break with the hosts leading Chiefs with a 1-0 scoreline.
Back out for the remaining last 45, the visitors came back highly motivated as they tried to pull one back while time was still on their side, but it was never meant to be at the time.
A week ago, Zwane revealed that he is now banking on his new signing, Caleb Bimenyimana to help solve the club’s goal-scoring problem.
The Burundian forward came in in the second half of the showpiece but did not make any difference.
“He’s got the height, he’s quick so I think he’s going to give us a different dimension. We expect goals from him but with the help of other players. he isn’t going to do it alone.”
“In the modern game, there is more of a focus on the front three, but we’ll be looking to Caleb to add threat to our attack,” Zwane told the Amakhosi media department.
In the 66th minute, Marumo were reduced to 10 men after Olivier Toure received his second yellow card for a foul on Ashley Du Preez.
Amakhosi had barely threatened until they hit the hosts with a sucker punch in the 84th minute when Zitha Kwinika’s header brilliantly found the back of the net from close range.
However, Marumo then could have put the game beyond Chiefs before the game-changing red card in the second stanza.
Marumo coach Raymond Mdaka celebrated that resistance and hard-fought draw against the Glamour Boys- at the final whistle, which brought to the end a brilliant contest that kept spectators on their feet.
