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Luvuyo Memela rescues a point for AmaZulu in dramatic four-goal thriller against Chippa

Sazi Hadebe Sports reporter
Luvuyo Memela of AmaZulu scored a brace in the drawn DStv Premiership match against Chippa United on Tuesday ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
SOLuvuyo Memela2209 Luvuyo Memela of AmaZulu scored a brace in the drawn DStv Premiership match against Chippa United on Tuesday ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Luvuyo Memela came off the bench to rescue a point for AmaZulu as the KwaZulu-Natal side drew with Chippa United in a four-goal thriller at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Tuesday afternoon. 

Chippa striker Eva Nga nearly ruined Benni McCarthy’s anniversary as AmaZulu coach after he scored a first half brace to give the Eastern Cape visitors the lead. But Memela, who was introduced at the restart, had other ideas and scored in the 64th and 82nd minutes to give the Durban side a sixth successive draw and its 12th in 17 DStv Premiership matches.

Victory would have eased Chippa’s relegation fears, but the point leaves them in 14th place in the standings, which means they will have to dig deep in the second half of the season as they are only two points ahead of bottom club Baroka FC.

McCarthy came to the match looking to celebrate his first year with the Durban club with a win that would have propelled Usuthu from eighth spot to joint third on the Premiership table.

Nga, who also scored for Chippa in the 1-1 draw against AmaZulu in Gqeberha on Saturday, benefited from two mistakes by the AmaZulu players that allowed the visitors to take a 2-0 lead in the first 30 minutes.

The first goal was a gift from usually dependable gloveman Veli Mothwa, who failed to clear a back pass and was dispossessed by Nga inside the area in the 22nd minute. 

Nga’s second strike in the 29th minute came after Usuthu skipper Makhehlene Makhaula lost the ball near the danger area. With the home side rearguard caught out of position, Nga was allowed to bang in his fifth goal of the season, all scored in the last four matches after the appointment of former Chippa midfielder Kurt Lentjies as coach.

Memela, who took his league tally to five goals, came to his team’s rescue in the second stanza dominated by the home side.

TimesLIVE

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