OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Saturday 5.30pm
HELLENIC clinched a place in the BP Top 8 and Free State Stars moved within one point of safety after a 1-1 Castle Premiership draw at an unseasonally hot Greenpoint Stadium.
The goals arrived within 60 seconds at the end of the first half with former Stars player Alexis Motaung putting the Greek Gods ahead and Sydwell Maboe levelling for the Eastern Free State club.
Motaung struck a left-foot shot past goalkeeper Michael Babale after a Stars defender failed to cut off a Grant Young cross while Maboe beat Ryan Braybrooke with a low shot from just inside the penalty area.
After a lively and even first half in which Free State were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Siphiwe Thomas handled inside the box, Hellenic got on top only to be let down by woeful finishing.
Ghanaian George Owusu, a recent signing from Zimbabwe club CAPS United, was the biggest culprit, spurning three chances within four minutes midway through the half.
He headed wide when unmarked, allowed Babale to sprint off his line and block a shot, and hesitated with only the goalkeeper to beat and was dispossessed. The third blunder was too much for coach Gavin Hunt and he brought on Fani Madida.
But there was to be no dramatic winner for the home team as Stars regained their composure and comfortably held on for a point. They need one more from visits to Bush Bucks and Classic next week to be assured of avoiding relegation.
Hyperactive Hunt bemoaned the wasted second-half chances in a post-match interview while opposite number Roy Barreto succeeded in answering three questions without saying anything.