Chiefs salvage draw with Arrows

Chiefs went into the half-time break trailing 1-0 after Nduduzo Sibiya's 34th-minute goal had given Steve Komphela's men the lead against the run of play, but the hosts continued to plug away in the second half and eventually rescued a draw when Kgotso Moleko headed home at the near post in the 77th minute.

The hosts, aiming to avenge their 2-1 defeat to Arrows in December last year, started the encounter on the front foot as they went in search of an early goal.

However, Amakhosi failed to make their chances count, with Dumisani Zuma and Philani Zulu combining well in the second minute of play, only for the latter to fire a powerful effort into the side netting.

Chiefs continued to pile forward as Zuma saw his goalbound effort saved by Max Mbaeva in the third minute, before Reeve Fosler fired over the bar after pouncing on a loose ball.

After a brief lull in play, Chiefs again went close to claiming the lead in the 28th minute, but Zuma's piledriver from outside the box smashed into the crossbar.

They were made to rue that missed chance just five minutes later as Arrows claimed the lead following some delightful link-up play. Knox Mutizwa backheeled the ball into the path of Nduduzo Sibiya, who fired a curling, first-time shot into the corner from just inside the box.

Chiefs redoubled their efforts after falling behind, but they went into the half-time break with no goals to show for the efforts as Mbaeva denied both Zulu and Bernard Parker in the closing minutes.

The home side started the second half as they had started the first, but again saw an almost certain goal denied by a combination of Mbaeva and the crossbar following a goalmouth scramble in the 49th minute.

Arrows offered very little in the way of attacking threat but showed real tenacity and determination in defence to limit the attacking threat of Zuma, Parker and Hendrick Ekstein.

But with Chiefs enjoying plenty of ball possession in front of boisterous home crowd, it was only a matter of time before the hosts got the breakthrough they were looking for.

The 77th-minute equaliser was taken in clinical fashion as Kgotso Moleko popped up at the near post to head the ball past Mbaeva and into the back of the net.

Chiefs kept knocking on the door and very nearly grabbed the lead four minutes later as Daniel Cardoso headed just wide from George Maluleka's pinpoint corner kick.

Try as they might, however, Chiefs were unable to breach a stubborn Arrows defence for a second time on the night as they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.