Citizens’ struggles continue

Smiso Msomi

Cape Town City (1) 1

Gonzalez 38

Golden Arrows (0) 1

Sibiya 47’

Cape Town City’s winless run in 2024 stretched to 10 games when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Golden Arrows at the Cape Town Stadium yesterday.

The Citizens failed to climb up the DStv Premiership table while Abafana Besthende kept up their top-eight ambitions as they moved to within a point of Kaizer Chiefs.

Venezuela-born forward Darwin Gonzalez scored just his second goal of the season as he broke the deadlock in the 38th minute.

The versatile attacker showed great anticipation as he ghosted in at the far post to get his head on a Luphumlo Sifumba delivery and powered his header past goalkeeper Ismail Watenga.

Having struggled in the first half, Arrows made the perfect start to the second stanza as Nduduzo Sibiya equalised two minutes after the restart.

The captain and winger finished off a well-orchestrated counter-attack for the visiting team after great play by fellow attackers Siyanda Mthanti and Kagiso Malinga.

Given the erratic nature of the two teams meeting under perfect conditions in Cape Town, this match was expected to be action filled.

The hosts had kept only one clean sheet in 2024 ahead of this encounter and that record was expected to continue given Arrows’ scoring run since coach Steve Komphela took over.

City’s inability to win a single match since the turn of the year saw them slip to seventh on the log standings and that perhaps fired them up as they started this match on the front foot.

Coach Eric Tinkler’s men created the first clear sight at goal in the seventh minute with captain and right back Thami Mkhize showing unfamiliar skill.

The 35-year-old dodged two bodies out wide before delivering a cross into the box but attacker Thabiso Kutumela fired over.

The enigmatic Komphela fielded a different goalkeeper for the third match in a row and that decision appeared to destabilise his team from the kick-off as Arrows struggled with organisation at the back.

Having developed a culture of possession-based attacking play, Komphela would’ve been left frustrated by his team’s showing in the first stanza as they struggled to string together progressive passes.

The fact that Darren Keet had not been forced into any saves in the opening 45 minutes would’ve been an even greater worry for the visitors.

It was no surprise that Arrows emerged a different side in the second half. Looking to add energy and fresh ideas, the two teams rolled the dice with back-to-back substitutions between the 73rd and 76th minute.

However, those changes failed to produce the required edge as the teams ran out of ideas and had to settle for a point apiece.