Never-say-die Stars rattle Bucs for deserved draw

28 September 2016 - 09:53 By KHANYISO TSHWAKU

Thobani Kunene's 90th-minute header earned Platinum Stars a deserved 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium last night. The substitute cancelled out Thabiso Kutumela's 77th-minute goal and anything less than a point would have been an injustice for Dikwena.They were the better side on the night and, having collected draws in their visits to Soweto, they have marked themselves as a dangerous side if the mood fits.Last night was one of those nights when they decided to play out of their skins.It wasn't a first half that would have set pulses racing but Stars' domination of chances and possession made Muhsin Ertugral run energetically up and down the touchline. In the same way they made Kaizer Chiefs look distinctly average in their 1-1 draw on September 14, Stars disrupted and harried Pirates.The fact that Bucs only had one clear-cut goal-scoring chance in the 23rd minute, through Oupa Manyisa, was testament to Stars' defensive discipline.If they had the attacking flair to match their defensive resolve, they would have had more to show for their creative efforts.Robert N'gambi, Ndumiso Mabena and Henrico Botes all tested Brighton Mhlongo's skill at some point.Pirates found better attacking shape in the second half and asked the questions that were absent in the first stanza.Between Botes' 47th minute header that went narrowly wide and Mabena's 70th-minute effort that rattled the crossbar, Pirates created some decent opportunities. Substitute Kutumela should have done better with his 60th- minute effort but shot straight at Stars keeper Mbongeni Mzimela.There was nothing Mzimela could do to keep out Kutumela's free kick, that beat him low at his far-right post. But this Stars side did not understand the meaning of giving up and even though Sibusiso Msomi's 90th-minute shot was well saved by Mhlongo, Kunene ensured Stars took a deserved share of the points from the resultant corner...

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