Richards Bay FC salvaged a point in the KwaZulu-Natal derby with a late equaliser against AmaZulu on Sunday afternoon.
Usuthu missed George Maluleka through suspension, but had Guily Manziba and new signing Jody February on the bench with Katleho Makateng amongst the changes for Richards Bay.
Former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele got a chance to make the breakthrough from a header early on following a corner-kick but he went wide of the mark.
Mphahlele was involved in another move a few minutes gone where he poked a loose ball from a corner towards Dumisani Zuma to profit, but Salim Magoola rushed out and parried.
AmaZulu continued to bother the host around the last ten minutes of the half and broke the deadlock when Thabo Qalinge beat the offside trap to tap in a cutback from Sede Dion.
With their backs against the wall, Richards Bay made a substitution before the second half in Yanela Mbuthuma ahead of Lesotho international Makateng.
Usuthu got a chance to go two goals to the good with a smartly worked effort from a tight angle by Zuma, but Richards Bay goalkeeper Magoola stood tall and parried the threat.
Though, Usuthu started to sit back and nearly gave away their lead in the final 15 minutes when Sanele Barns’ shot from inside the area clattered off the top of the woodwork.
Richards Bay continued to look for a comeback around the final exchanges through third-man runs around the Usuthu defence, but failed to unlock their counterparts.
The Natal Rich Boyz snatched a point right in the dying minutes when Katlego Maphathe slammed a loose ball from a scramble into the far corner and saw the spoils shared.
Confirmed line-ups:
Richards Bay: Magoola, Maphathe, Msani, Mabua, Nyauza, Mabaso, Barns, Mthembu, Ntsundwana, Memela, Makateng
Subs: Jacobs, Shabalala, Hlongwa, Zungu, Mtolo, Majadibodu, Mhlongo, Mbuthuma, Mabuya
AmaZulu: Mothwa, Sikhakhane, Hanamub, Mphahlele, Mobara, Malepe, Bwalya, Ekstein, Qalinge, Dion, Zuma
Subs: February, Gumede, Mabiliso, Zulu, Buchanan, Ndlovu, Manziba, Maduna, Ntuli
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