Bush Bucks coach Clive Barker should be asking himself the million-dollar question of what to do for his team to score goals after a goalless draw with Santos in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match in East London on Wednesday.
Bucks should have buried Santos under a avalanche of goals, but poor finishing cost them dearly, with the main culprits Zambian international James Chamanga and former Kaizer Chiefs striker Simpiwe Mbambo.
Bucks took the game to visitors from the first whistle, and in the fourth minute Chamanga failed to connect a header from a Phikolethu Spelman pass.
Mbambo came close to scoring with a 30m drive in the 12th minute, but Santos goalkeeper Brendon Wardel was equal to the task.
Santos evergreen Lebohang Kukame was denied by Bucks goalkeeper Tampundu Dikete in the 20th minute after striking a powerful volley outside the box.
Santos’ Marawan Bantam forced Dikete to make a breathtaking save with a well-taken free kick on the edge of the box.
Mbambo was again denied by the upright after receiving a pass from Chamanga on the stroke of half-time, with Wardel well beaten.
In the second half, Chamanga continued to shoot wide when he failed to finish a follow-up in the 54th minute after Wardel saved a 30m drive from Fisher Kondowe.
Santos again pulled out a fantastic save from Dikete in the 65th minute through Selolwane Dipsy’s volley from distance.
In the 74th minute, Kukame came close to opening the scoring for Santos after beating the offside trap, but Dikete stood his ground.
In the 89th minute, Santos were able to salvage a point after Mbambo’s scorcher hit the upright, leaving Bucks still in search for that elusive win to take them away from the bottom of the log.
Classic, Swallows draw
Tembisa Classic shared the spoils with Moroka Swallows when they drew 0-0 in a dull Castle Premiership encounter played at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday afternoon.
The Birds failed to take the lead in the opening minutes of this game when Alfred Maimane Phiri’s powerful shot narrowly missed the target.
In the 32nd minute, Classic’s Zimbabwean-born striker Edward Sodomba managed to beat the visitors’ offside trap but not Greg Etafia at poles, who did well by coming off his line to close the angle.
Two minutes later, Sodomba made the way for Obinna Okafor, who troubled Birds’ defenders whenever in possession. In the 44th minute, Bradley August missed a sitter when he failed to capitalise on a shot inside the box.
Classic’s goalkeeper, Aime Kitenge, who was named man of the match, saved the day for the home side at the death when he stopped substitute Mame Niang’s powerful header.
In the 62nd minute, Swallows had a good chance to open the sheet when they were awarded an indirect free kick inside the Classic penalty box after Jappie Motale fouled Lifa Tsutsulupa.
Phiri’s shot from this resultant free kick went wide. In search for goals, Classic introduced Collen Zimba and Enva Wiltermere for August and Molefi Ntsoelengoe, but the changes failed to make the required impact on the score sheet.
The solitary point was better than nothing for Classic, who are languishing third from the bottom of the PSL log. — Sapa