Durban City and Orbit College played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in their Betway Premiership clash at Chatsworth Stadium on Friday evening.
Coming into the encounter, Durban City occupied sixth place on the log, while Orbit College were hovering just above the relegation zone in 16th. With both sides chasing crucial points for very different reasons, the stakes were high from the outset.
Orbit were forced into a late change before kick-off, with Jingana ruled out through injury and Madiba drafted into the starting lineup.
The citizens showed early intent, with Jean Lubumba trying his luck from distance in the sixth minute, but his effort drifted wide. Orbit then made their bright start count four minutes later when Khoto unleashed a superb strike from outside the box to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Durban City responded positively and pushed for an equaliser before the break. Domingo came close, but Orbit goalkeeper Moerane Sekhoane produced an excellent save to preserve his side’s advantage heading into halftime.
Both coaches made changes at the interval, with Orbit introducing Lukhele, while Durban City brought on Magawana in search of greater attacking impetus.
The hosts continued to apply pressure in the second half, and Moerane was once again called into action in the 54th minute, producing another fine save from a dangerous free-kick.
Durban City’s persistence finally paid off four minutes later. Jean Lubumba rose highest in the box to head home the equaliser, bringing the home crowd to life.
The closing stages were fiercely contested, with both sides searching for a winner. Orbit had their goalkeeper to thank once again, while defender Ngiba produced a heroic goal-line clearance to deny Durban City what looked like a certain winner.
In the end, the points were shared in a result that reflected a hard-fought contest. Orbit goalkeeper Moerane Sekhoane was deservedly named Man of the Match after a string of crucial saves.
Orbit College head coach Pogiso reflected on the result with mixed emotions:
“We really wanted to win this game. Unfortunately, we lost concentration in our box and conceded a goal, but we will take the point and go back home.”
Durban City coach Simo Dladla was equally pragmatic in his assessment:
“At the end of the day, it’s a point that we take. We believed that we were going to come back.”
In another Betway Premiership fixture played simultaneously at King Zwelithini Stadium, Golden Arrows and Siwelele FC battled to a goalless draw. While chances were at a premium, both sides had to settle for a point in a tightly contested encounter.
The draw in Chatsworth keeps Durban City firmly in the hunt for a top-eight finish, while Orbit College will take encouragement from a resilient away performance as they continue their fight to move clear of the relegation zone.
Image : Durban City