Citizens battle back to beat Chilli Boys

Cape Town City returned to winning ways in the DStv Premiership as they came from behind to down Chippa United 2-1 at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday night.

Ronaldo Maarman gave the Chilli Boys the lead on 31 minutes with his second goal of the season, but Eric Tinker's side hit back in the second half as Khanyisa Mayo restored parity before Thamsanqa Mkhize completed the comeback win late on.

The Citizens moved up to 10th place, one point outside the top eight after claiming their third victory of the campaign, with Morgan Mammila's team unmoved in sixth position following a first defeat in five matches.

City were looking to halt a three-match winless run in the league, having lost 1-0 to Richards Bay last time out, while Chippa beat Sekhukhune United 1-0 to make it four wins on the spin.

The hosts got off to a bright start and found success on the left flank. As the first 10 minutes approached, the Chilli Boys were penned back in their own half and looked to approach City on the counterattack.

In an attempt to get into the game, Chippa looked to string consecutive passes together, most of which were constructed in their own half. However, the Mother City outfit pressed high up the pitch.

City insisted on attacking down the left-hand side as the likes of Lyle Lakay and Darwin Gonzalez looked to penetrate the opposition defence from a wide position.

The Citizens came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute, which came from a corner as Lakay's pin-point delivery into the area was met by Gonzalez, whose header struck the crossbar.

As the half-hour mark approached, City began turning the screws and recorded two more attempts at goal. However, the visitors opened the scoring against the run of play as Maarman capped off a swift counterattacking move in the 31st minute.

After taking the lead, Chippa dealt with thrusting attacks from City as they actively searched for an equaliser before the half-time break, but the referee called time on the opening stanza, which proved to be a largely frustrating period for the Citizens as they went as they went into the interval trailing by a single goal.

The Citizens continued to apply pressure in the second half, although it was Chippa who threatened first after the restart when Roscoe Pietersen directed a header narrowly beyond the right post from a 55th-minute free-kick.

Luke Daniels drew a routine save out of Lloyd Kazapua with a header on the hour mark and Tinkler went to his bench seven minutes later in a bid to change the outcome, which paid immediate dividends.

Mayo latched onto a threaded pass from Thabo Nodada and slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net just five minutes after his introduction as a substitute.

City had their tails up now and Mayo came close to getting on the scoresheet again on two occasions in the space of two minutes with shots that just missed the mark.

Their efforts would be rewarded six minutes from time as Mpho Makola's free-kick came back off the woodwork and Mkhize reacted fastest to convert the rebound at close range to bring Chippa's impressive run to an end.

Cape Town City (0) 2 (Mayo 72', Mkhize 84')
Chippa United (1) 1 (Maarman 31')

Cape Town City: D. Keet, T. Mkhize, T. Fielies, T. Mokeke (I. Fasika 67'), L. Lakay, K. Drammeh (J. Rhodes 67'), M. Mdantsane (M. Makola 67'), R. Mokhuoane (K. Cupido 79'), T. Nodada, D. Gonzalez (K. Mayo 59'), L. Daniels.

Chippa United: R. L. Kazapua, Z. Mdunyelwa, R. Pietersen, M. Mathiane, R. Pfumbidzai, T. Lebitso, S. Mkhize, S. Luthuli (B. Poggenpoel 69'), A. Matrose, R. Maarman (S. Kammies 46'), E. Ighodaro (E. Kambindu 69').