Phungo and Joe’s Express in deadlock

In their Safa second division league match at the Makwarela Stadium on Saturday, Phungo All Stars shared the spoils with Joe’s Express when they played to a 1-1 draw.

Express fought it without their killer strikers, Rendani Madega and Thembisani Nevhulamba. Realizing that it would be difficult for them to find the net in the absence of the two, the coach of Express, Edwin “Cafu” Ramphabana, took it upon himself and put on the team’s jersey. Ramphabana proved that experience counts, when he came close to scoring in the 18th minute. He received a neat pass from Dakalo Ratshitanga and ran straight to the edge of the box, from where he unleashed a ground cutter. The ball missed the goal mouth by inches.

The keeper of Phungo All Stars, Gogo Langeni, was forced to stretch to the limit in the 24th minute. This came after Dzivhuluwani Simba put him to the test with a long-range volley. Langeni pulled off a brilliant save at a time when everyone thought that was the opening goal for Express.

Stars’ demon midfielder, Khumbudzo Muvhango, who is known for his dribbling skills, could not live up to the fans’ expectations, as he was tightly marked. The keeper of Express, Rotshidzwa Muleka, was booked for wasting time. He held onto the ball for far too long, giving instructions to his team mates at the same time as if he were the coach.

Express introduced Ndateni Netshitadi and Mukhethwa Mundalamo for Hymer Munyai and Mashudu Noko respectively in the 64th minute.

Phungo All Stars were the first to find the net. Their left-footed striker, Aphane Stemmer, beat the keeper with a ground cutter, following a square pass from Thamba Chuma in the 69th minute. Express retaliated six minutes later. Nndateni Netshitadi, who came on as a substitute, scored after a scramble within the box. The keeper of Phungo, Gogo Langeni, sustained an injury during the scramble and he was replaced with Bongani Mukhuba.

Date:28 February 2014

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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