Mpheni Defenders take lead after narrow victory over Madridtas

Mpheni Defenders proved beyond doubt that they are not the defending league champions by chance when they beat Madridtas FC 1-0 in their ABC Motsepe League match at the Mpheni Grounds last Saturday. Following the victory, Mpheni Defenders are now shining on top of the log with 14 points from six outings.

Speaking to a contingent of journalists after the game, the head coach of Defenders, Mr Sydwell Phuravhathu, said that the victory would ease the pressure. He explained that they had divided the 18 league fixtures they will play this season into six groups. According to him, their target is to collect at least seven points from each group of matches. He added that their target was achievable, considering the fact that they had so far managed to collect 14 points in six outings.

Phuravhathu, who doubles up as the chairman of the club, also commended Madridtas for being one of the best teams in the league, even though they had bought their ABC Motsepe franchise from Black Leopards at the beginning of this season.

His counterpart from Madridtas FC, Mr Mashudu Ndou, said that he was satisfied with the team’s overall performance. According to him, they could have won the match, had their strikers managed to convert the few scoring chances they had created.

The goal through which Defenders grabbed the full points at stake came in the 78^th minute. The former Venda Football Club winger, Thanzi Mbedzi, gave the ball the final touch after a scramble within the box.

Date:02 February 2024

By: Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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