Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a 1-1 draw by Cape Town City in an Absa Premiership clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Sundowns immediately began on the front and almost broke the deadlock in the third minute when Sibusiso Vilakazi cut the ball back across goal for Lyle Lakay, whose first-time left-footed effort hit Leeuwenburgh and then the upright before rebounding to safety.

The Brazilians opened the scoring in the eighth minute through Hlompho Kekana with a scorching long-range effort from 30 metres out that rebounded off either upright before nestling in the back of the net.

Kekana looked to have his shooting boots on as another stinging long-range drive was this time well kept out by Leeuwenburgh in the 23rd minute.

City began to find their groove. Bradley Ralani brought a fine save out Onyango with a curling effort from 25 yards that looked as if it was heading in to the top left-hand corner.

From the resulting corner, the visitors would equalise. The ball was swung in to the box by Mpho Makola and found its way to the back post where Thato Mokeke teed up Edmilson, who swivelled and hit a first-time left-footed effort from an acute angle on the left-hand side of the box that hit the left-hand upright on its way in.

It was all City as Keanu Cupido then saw his header cannon back of the upright after losing Wayne Arendse in the box to connect with a Makola corner.

Benni McCarthy’s side were looking a threat from set-pieces and in the 35th minute, another tempting Makola delivery found Edmilson, but his header was straight at Onyango.

Five minutes later, Kermit Erasmus controlled a high ball expertly, held it up well, before playing an excellent slide-rule pass for Mokeke, who timed his run expertly but kicked clean air when one-on-one with Onyango.

Sundowns began the second half as they started the first – controlling the game. In the 54th minute, Kekana’s through ball for Lebohang Maboe was deflected just wide of his own goal by Ebrahim Seedat – luckily for him.

Soon after, Gaston Sirino’s corner was bundled on to the upright by Wayne Arendse, although the centre-back didn’t know much about it.

Shortly after that, City almost exposed Sundowns on the counter-attack, as Erasmus turned and fired away an effort but it was blocked by Arendse.

Erasmus was looking a threat and in the 61st minute the former Orlando Pirates striker ran on to a through ball, turned a couple of defenders inside out but didn’t connect properly with his effort as it trickled wide of the right-hand upright.

There were no further real goalscoring opportunities created with the sides having to settle for a share of the points as the game fizzled out to a draw.