The match was initially scheduled to take place on Tuesday but a waterlogged pitch resulted in the postponement to Wednesday.
HUNGRY Lions FC’s rain-delayed GladAfrica Championship match against Pretoria Callies ended 0-0 at the Windhoek Draught Park in Kimberley on Wednesday afternoon.
The match was initially scheduled to take place on Tuesday but a waterlogged pitch resulted in the postponement to Wednesday.
When the match finally got under way a sizeable crowd was seated on the main stand. The crowd was suitably entertained in the opening quarter-hour as the hosts launched inspired attacks on the Pretoria Callies goal with Tebogo Pitso and Razor Daniels the chief attackers.
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This match was essentially a battle for a better spot on the table for both sides. Hungry Lions are itching to get into the top eight zone from their tenth place on the log. While Callies, on the other hand, are battling to stave off likely relegation. Their stay at the 14th spot, third from bottom, is untenable after 25 matches.
They only have four official games left in the season to claw their way out of trouble.
Hungry Lions’ salvos started almost from the start whistle. In the opening quarter-hour they launched an attack through their striker who outmanoeuvred his marker and unleashed a full-frontal shot at goal which the Callies goalkeeper turned for a corner.
Minutes later Lions were back on the attack again when their pointsman controlled a high pass, but unfortunately kneed the ball past the left upright leaving the keeper untroubled.
Hungry Lions were, overall, the more enterprising of the two sides for a good chunk of the first half. They were unlucky again 15 minutes into the second half when they ballooned a goalbound shot high over the visitors’ posts.
The Pretoria Callies goalkeeper is undoubtedly the DFA’s ‘Man the Match’. He gave an outstanding performance between the sticks, coming out frequently to intercept high balls or fist balls away from lurking strikers. His side though, could not find the opponents’ posts upfront.
The result gives no joy to either club as they remain rooted in the positions they were before the match.
Hungry Lions mentor Henry Basie afterwards spoke to the DFA about his side’s performance. “It’s been like this all week. It was the same against Uthongathi. In that game, we likely missed eight chances. Look at (Tebogo) Pitso. He got a ball same as in this game. He rounded the keeper only for the ball to go wide.
“But I tell you this team plays well, no doubt. We are playing well against top sides. This one (Callies) we probably took away four to six points from them.”
