Khanyisa Mayo scored a brace of brilliant goals, but it was not enough for Cape Town City to claim a win, as they were held 2-2 by Marumo Gallants in a DStv Premiership match at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Mayo twice put the Citizens ahead via wonderful strikes from his left foot, but Bahlabane ba Ntwa came up with a response each time, netting via Lesiba Nku and Ranga Chivaviro to earn a share of the spoils.
The result sees City remain in fifth spot (missing out on the chance to leapfrog to third), while Gallants stay rock bottom in 16th – four points from safety and having now played a game more than their fellow relegation battlers.
City started brightly and enjoyed several promising attacks, though the first notable attempt came in the eighth minute from Gallants’ Ranga Chivaviro, who headed on target from a corner kick but saw his effort clutched out of the air by goalkeeper Darren Keet.
The hosts continued to look dangerous in attack and claimed the lead on 23 minutes via Khanyisa Mayo. The forward had earlier struck an effort just wide of the mark, but this time around his radar was bang on, as he latched onto a loose ball just outside the penalty area and rifled a left-footed drive past the left hand of goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
Bahlabane ba Ntwa responded well to going behind and drew themselves level just past the half-hour mark. Mahlatse Makudubela provided a cross from the left and Lesiba Nku scored with a looping header beyond the reach of Keet for 1-1.
The Citizens almost reclaimed the lead on 39 minutes when Thamsanqa Mkhize got on the end of Mayo’s in-swinging cross and directed a downward header on target, but Arubi did just enough to tip the effort around the post.
The first half ended at one apiece, but it took just seven minutes of the second stanza for the Cape side to find the back of the net again. Mayo scored an even better goal than his opener, whipping a left-footed shot direct from a free kick into the top corner of the net for 2-1.
Yet again the hosts were unable to hold onto their lead for any significant period of time, as Gallants levelled the game at 2-2 on the hour mark, with Chivaviro firing home from close range after Mkhize had cleared off an effort off the line but failed to get the ball clear of the danger zone.
City searched for a third goal, with efforts from substitute Taahir Goedeman and Mayo which came close, while Gallants also offered a sporadic threat of stealing all three points, but ultimately the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
The teams will return to DStv Premiership action on Saturday 1 April, with Gallants hosting Royal AM and City away to Mamelodi Sundowns.