A brace from Platinum Stars’ Ndumiso Mabena denied Mamelodi Sundowns a win when they drew 2-2 in their Absa Premiership encounter at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Thursday night.
The stalemate takes Cavin Johnson’s men to the 11th spot on the table with 27 points from 26 matches in their league campaign.
For the hosts, goals from Thabo Nthethe and Yannick Zakri were not enough to see them claiming the full three points.
Sundowns dominated proceedings in the early stages of the tie and Dikwena were pushed to defend deep.
Nthethe broke the deadlock for the Brazilians in the sixth minute as he pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area resulting from a corner.
Despite a fierce battle in the heart of the park, Mabena made it 1-1 after 15 minutes when he coolly finished in the box following a flick on from Bonginkosi Ntuli.
The 20th minute saw Stars nearly bagging their second goal from a set piece, but Gerald Phiri’s effort sailed over the cross bar failing to trouble Sundowns keeper Denis Onyango.
After the 30th minute, a beautiful header by Anthony Laffor was easily collected by Dikwena keeper Mbongeni Mzimela.
It was 1-1 at the interval.
In the 53rd minute, Mabena sealed his brace when he beat Onyango on his near post following an error by the Tshwane side in the middle of the park, 2-1.
On the hour mark a scramble in the box saw Percy Tau and Zakri denied by Mzimela in the box.
However, the Ivory Coastan forward made amends in the 63rd minute as he netted from close range to as he blasted his effort into the roof of the net, 2-2.
In search of their third goal, Percy Tau set Laffor through in the 66th minute, but he was denied by Mzimela one-on-one.
With 16 minutes remaining on the clock, Ntuli managed to break free behind the hosts defence on the right, but was denied by Onyango who saved comfortably.
With two minutes to go, Laffor failed again to hit the target as he was set up by Khama Billiat in the box – his shot went wide over the cross bar.
Dikwena were reduced to 10-men when Siphamandla Mlilo was shown his second yellow card in injury time, but both sides shared the spoils.
The draw for Sundowns leaves them sitting at top spot with 51 points, above Bidvest Wits who are in action against Orlando Pirates.
