Platinum Stars maintained their impressive record against Kaizer Chiefs as they held the Soweto club to a 0-0 draw in a Premier Soccer League match at the Loftus Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Chiefs remain in 12th place with 24 points from 21 games and Stars stay put in ninth place with 26 points.
It was a game Stars could have won had they converted half their chances and if referee Victor Hlongwane had awarded an undeniable penalty to the visitors.
Chiefs’ defender Fabian McCarthy brought down Stanley Kgatla in the box in the 85th minute, but the referee awarded a goal kick. Earlier, Ditheko Mototo brought down Koketso Mmotongin the penalty area but this time the ref awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area.
It was Chiefs’ 12th draw of the season and their coach, Muhsin Ertugral, jokingly said: ”Maybe we should change our stadium,” and then added, ”But seriously, it was not a good game to watch and we had chances to score but did not take them.
His counterpart at Stars believes his team had a legitimate penalty turned down.
”That was in the box,” he said of Mototo’s challenge on Mmotong. ”I think it was a penalty but the referee has the final decision so there is nothing more we can do.
Stars face league championship contenders SuperSport United and Chiefs travel to Bethlehem to face Free State Stars on the weekend.
In another match played on Wednesday, AmaZulu emerged victorious after beating Thanda Royal Zulu 2-1 in an enterprising derby clash at Absa Stadium in Durban.
USuthu, as AmaZulu are known, led 2-0 at half-time with a brace from striker Siyabonga Mkhwanazi, in the fourth and 33rd minutes respectively, while Thanda get their only goal of the match in the 79th minute from the boot of midfielder Ryan Botha. — Sapa