Leopards too strong for Stellenbosch

Black Leopards came back from a 0-1 deficit to beat Stellenbosch FC 3-1 in their National First Division League match at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Sunday.

Leopards were out of touch in the first 15 minutes of the game. The visitors from Cape Town capitalized and scored their solitary goal in the ninth minute. Their fast forward, Iqraam Rayners, was brought down by the Leopards’ keeper, Rotshidzwa Muleka, within the box. That prompted the referee, Mr Luxolo Badi, to award a penalty to Stellenbosch. Rayners opened his side’s account from the white spot.

That was a wake-up call to the players of Lidoda Duvha. They started to play as a collective unit with their midfielders, Meshack Maphangule and Eden Nene, distributing some dangerous passes to the strikers. The home side fought back in the 34^th minute. Mwape Musonda headed home, following a corner kick that was taken by Karabo Tshepe. The score was 1-1 when the referee blew the half-time whistle.

The Leopards’ coach, Mr Joel Masutha, strengthened the team’s striking force by replacing their slender striker, Xolani Ndlovu, with Joseph Mhlongo four minutes into the last half. Realizing that their scoring chances were becoming slim with time, Stellenbosch started to play defensive football and relied mostly on counterattacks.

They introduced three new faces as one of their many ways to neutralize the home side, but the move was not good enough as Leopards continued to dominate in all departments. Leopards used their two remaining substitution chances by replacing Karabo Tshepe and Khuliso Mudau with Thembisani Nevhulamba and Donald Makgetlwa respectively.

Leopards took the lead in the 67^th minute. Their overlapping defender, Isaac Masia, hooked in the ball, following Joseph Mhlongo’s square pass. Jerrod Maroole of Stellenbosch was lucky not to see red after handling the ball intentionally.

Leopards increased the margin via Mwape Musonda in the 78^th minute. He beat the keeper with a ground cutter.

Date:05 April 2018

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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