Absa Premiership
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-2 Platinum Stars
Date: 04 May 2017
Venue: Lucas Moripe Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns' title hopes took another knock, after they played out a 2-2 draw with Platinum Stars on Thursday evening.
The Brazilians controlled proceedings from the onset and they broke the deadlock after just five minutes when Thabo Nthethe fired home from six-yards out, after a goal-mouth scramble.
Sundowns' opener seemed to have sparked Stars into life and they leveled matters in the 15th minute as Ndumiso Mabena skipped past two challenges before slotting home at Denis Onyango's near post.
It proved to be an evenly contested affair as the opening half went on, although both sides lacked creativity in the respective final thirds.
The flow of the clash was also interrupted by needless fouls committed by both clubs, which led to a scrappy affair in the closing stages of the first half.
Nonetheless, neither side could get a second goal before the break and went into the change rooms all square.
Sundowns saw a lot of the ball in the opening stages of the second half, but it was Dikwena who got the second goal in the 55th minute.
Some quick thinking saw Gerald Phiri play in Mabena, who raced beyond the Sundowns defence and fired home a low effort at Onyango's near post.
The home side looked to hit back and they were rewarded in the 63rd minute when Nthethe's flick-on found Yannick Zakri, who fired home at the far post.
With Sundowns pushing for the win, Pitso Mosimane introduced veteran midfielder Teko Modise for Lucky Mohomi in the 77th minute.
The hosts pushed for a winning goal in the closing stages, but were finding it tough to create clear-cut openings.
The visitors were then reduced to 10 men in the second minute of stoppage time when Sphamandla Mlilo was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
However, Dikwena managed to hold out till the final whistle and claim a valuable point, while Sundowns failed to win for the second straight league game.
Here's how they lined up:
Sundowns: 36. Onyango, 19. Mashaba, 27. Morena, 2. Nthethe, 32. Madisha, 24. Zakri, 15. Mohomi (Modise 77'), 33. Billiat, 28. Laffor, 8. Kekana, 22. Tau.
Stars: 31. Mzimela, 33. Mpeta, 3. Mlilo, 36. Mwedihanga, 18. Jongh, 35. Phiri (Ng'ambi 77'), 38. Mkhabela (Mathe 84'), 15. Msomi, 2. Mere, 10. Mabena, 34. Ntuli (Madondo 90').
