A last-gasp goal from substitute Peter Khoabane earned SuperSport United a hard-fought 1-0 win over neighbours Sundowns in a tense Pretoria Castle Premiership derby played at the Odi stadium on Wednesday night.
There was no score at half-time.
It was heartbreaking for the home side who had hit the woodwork twice and looked the better side in the second half after little action in a disappointing first half. Both teams seemed scared of each other and were determined not to give a goal away.
The best chance fell to Sundowns in the 41st minute when Simba Marumo dented the United woodwork after he connected a great cross from Ishmael Maluleke that had goalkeeper Calvin Marlin well beaten.
Earlier in the 28th minute Downs veteran ‘keeper Andre Arendse showed his class when he brilliantly pushed away a powerful volley from Abram Raselemane.
Downs suffered a blow when defender Michael Manzini had to be replaced after he was accidentally kicked by teammate Sashi Chalwe in the head in the 30th minute. Manzini was replaced by Craig Bianchi.
Lucas Sebona forced Marlin to make a save from the restart as Downs started to look for the opening goal. But it was United who should have gone ahead, but substitute Daniel Matsau blasted Macdonald Mukansi cross over the Downs crossbar in the 61st minute.
A minute later Sebona crashed a shot off the United crossbar and from the rebound United defender Ricardo Katza managed to clear the ball off his goalline.
Arendse pulled off another great save this time from Mandal Mandla in the 78th minute. But as the match headed into injury time and a draw, Khoabane headed home the only goal at the far post to give United their winner and bragging rights over Sundowns in the city of Pretoria for the rest of the season. — Sapa