A goal of sheer magic and another of clinical precision from Katlego Mphela gave SuperSport United a 2-1 Telkom Knockout win against Santos at a desolate, mainly deserted Athlone Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Apart from the decisive influence of the goal-hungry SuperSport striker, the teams were evenly matched throughout an encounter in which all the goals were scored during the opening period.
Mphela opened the score in the 20th minute with a 30m shot into the roof of the net. And then, for good measure, he regained the lead for SuperSport on the stroke of half-time from the rebound after Santos goalkeeper Wayne Roberts had fumbled his initial shot.
In between Mphela’s two strikes, Koena Mathopa put Santos back on level terms in the 34th minute with a scrambled headed goal following a corner that left the SuperSport defence bemused and bewildered.
And while the Cape Town side probed grimly for an equaliser during an even second half, the touch of inspiration needed to penetrate the SuperSport defence was invariably lacking. — Sapa