Sundowns close gap at summit
Cape Town City and Wits drew a top-of-the-table ABSA Premiership clash Wednesday while title-holders Mamelodi Sundowns crept menacingly close to them.
Leaders Cape Town came from behind to draw 1-1 against second-place Wits with a Tshepo Gumede header cancelling an early Phakamani Mahlambi goal off a penalty.
Hlompho Kekana nodded a late winner as fourth-place Sundowns pipped SuperSport United, the club immediately below them, 1-0 at a Pretoria ground they share.
Polokwane City rose two places to sixth after edging visiting Platinum Stars 1-0 thanks to a goal from Thapelo Tshilo.
In the most exciting title race since the 1996 formation of the Premiership, Cape Town have 46 points, Wits and Kaizer Chiefs 45 and Sundowns 44.
Cape Town and Chiefs have six fixtures to play and Wits and CAF Champions League title-holders Sundowns eight.
A third straight loss left SuperSport nine points behind Cape Town and probably out of the reckoning after looking potential champions for much of the season.
Sundowns were the happiest of the title challengers after a third victory within seven days, starting with a 5-0 trouncing of SuperSport last Thursday.
Coach Pitso Mosimane admitted that another huge win over their neighbours was never on the cards and all he wanted was the three points.
"It was very close tonight and you could never tell which way the match would swing. It took a brilliant free-kick and a great header to divide the teams.
"Experience told with one veteran (Teko Modise) setting up another (Kekana) to separate the sides.
"The title race pressure is on and I will be happy if we win all our remaining fixtures by one-goal margins," said the former South Africa striker and coach.
Kekana struck on 83 minutes, heading a Modise free-kick past recalled goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at his near post.
A foul on Mahlambi allowed him to convert a fifth-minute penalty and well-organised Wits retained the lead until 19 minutes from time.
Gumede beat goalkeeper Darren Keet with a close-range header off a free-kick and Cape Town finished strongly without creating many chances.
The ABSA Premiership is the richest national football league in Africa with a 10 million rand first prize.
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre
Hlompho Kekana nodded a late winner as fourth-place Sundowns pipped SuperSport United, the club immediately below them, 1-0 at a Pretoria ground they share.
Polokwane City rose two places to sixth after edging visiting Platinum Stars 1-0 thanks to a goal from Thapelo Tshilo.
In the most exciting title race since the 1996 formation of the Premiership, Cape Town have 46 points, Wits and Kaizer Chiefs 45 and Sundowns 44.
Cape Town and Chiefs have six fixtures to play and Wits and CAF Champions League title-holders Sundowns eight.
A third straight loss left SuperSport nine points behind Cape Town and probably out of the reckoning after looking potential champions for much of the season.
Sundowns were the happiest of the title challengers after a third victory within seven days, starting with a 5-0 trouncing of SuperSport last Thursday.
Coach Pitso Mosimane admitted that another huge win over their neighbours was never on the cards and all he wanted was the three points.
"It was very close tonight and you could never tell which way the match would swing. It took a brilliant free-kick and a great header to divide the teams.
"Experience told with one veteran (Teko Modise) setting up another (Kekana) to separate the sides.
"The title race pressure is on and I will be happy if we win all our remaining fixtures by one-goal margins," said the former South Africa striker and coach.
Kekana struck on 83 minutes, heading a Modise free-kick past recalled goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at his near post.
A foul on Mahlambi allowed him to convert a fifth-minute penalty and well-organised Wits retained the lead until 19 minutes from time.
Gumede beat goalkeeper Darren Keet with a close-range header off a free-kick and Cape Town finished strongly without creating many chances.
The ABSA Premiership is the richest national football league in Africa with a 10 million rand first prize.
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre