Golden Arrows were held to a 1-1 draw Ajax Cape Town in their Absa Premiership encounter on Saturday afternoon at the Princess Magogo Stadium.

The visitors showed their attacking intent from the offset and almost went ahead as early as the first minute, but Mark Mayambela was unlucky to see his effort go wide of the target.

Ajax had the ball in the back of the net in the sixth minute when Mayambela profited from Thabo Mosadi’s pass to put the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper, however the linesman adjudged the visitors to be off-side, when replays suggested that the goal should have stood.

The hosts took the lead much against the run of play in the 13th minute, when Nkanyiso Mngwengwe blasted home a rebounded effort from a corner.

Mayambela proved to be the dangerman for Ajax and caused the Arrows defence a few scares with his pace and trickery. The left winger almost drew level in the 27th minute, but a fine save from goalkeeper Nkosingiphile Gumede ensured that his stinging effort went over the bar.

Goalkeeper Gumede did well to ensure his side remained in the lead in the 34th minute when he reacted quickest to deny Prince Nxumalo from a one-on-one situation after Thabo Mosadi’s through-ball.

Both teams opted for substitutions in the second stanza with Kagiso Dikgacoi and Nathan Paulse being introduced for Kwanele Hlongwane and Ndiviwe Mdabuka respectively.

Ajax continued the search for the equaliser and came agonisingly close in the 47th minute, when Roscoe Pietersen’s effort went inches wide of the target from a corner kick.

The windy conditions at the Princess Magogo Stadium favoured the Cape based-outfit as they unleashed a flurry of efforts towards the Arrows goalframe, but a mixture of heroic goalkeeping and wasteful finishing saw Arrows remain in the lead.

Ajax finally restored the scoreline when Nxumalo rose highest to head home Mosadi’s well-delivered corner to make it 1-1 in the 77th minute.

Both teams went forward in search of the lead, but neither team were able to penetrate one another’s defence as the scores remained 1-1 to ensure both sides got equal an share of the spoils.

Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix