Bidvest Wits 2-2 Highlands Park: Shalulile rescues a point for Da Gama’s men
The Students failed to take advantage of their games in hand as they drew at home against the Lions of the North
Bidvest Wits‘ title hopes suffered a major setback as Highlands Park held them to a 2-2 draw in a match which was played at Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.
Mothobi Mvala opened the scoring for the Lions of the North but the Students hit back with two goals from Haashim Domingo and Thulani Hlatshwayo before Peter Shalulile rescued a point for the visitors with a late penalty.
Gavin Hunt made four changes to the side that beat Baroka FC last weekend with veteran winger Elias Pelembe, Phathutshedzo Nange among the starters while Owen Da Gama brought Reneilwe Letsholonyane back into the starting line-up.
A very cagey first-half saw the visitors rely more on long and wide balls in an attempt to penetrate the Wits defence using their wingers, and this tactic paid off in the 25th-minute when Luckboy Mokoena picked up Mvala with a decent cross inside the box.
Mvala made no mistake as he nodded past Brandon Petersen to make it 1-0 to Highlands Park.
Petersen had to come to Wits’ rescue with a brilliant save five minutes later after being tested by Shalulile as the visiting team looked to double their lead.
Wits restored parity on the stroke of half-time when Domingo fired past Marlon Heugh with a deflected effort from inside the small box.
Despite scoring the equaliser for Wits, Hunt pulled out Domingo for Sameehg Doutie while Mxolisi Macuphu also came on for Beivenu Eva Nga at the start of the second half.
Da Gama responded with a substitution of his own, introducing Ryan Rae for Letsholonyane to try and freshen things up in midfield.
Wits were the first to benefit from their double substitutions as Hlatshwayo beat Heugh from a cross that was played into the Highlands Park box five minutes after the restart.
The home side should have wrapped up the game in the 78th-minute when Doutie was clear on goal only to squander what would have been a very important goal for the Students.
Hunt’s men were made to pay the heavy price for that miss three minutes from time as Hlatshwayo gave away a penalty following a challenge on Shalulile.
Shalulile then stepped up and gave Petersen no chance to make it 2-2 on the night.
This was the Namibia international’s 12th league goal of the season, and he is now two goals behind Gabadinho Mhango of Orlando Pirates.
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