/ 24 November 2007

SuperSport, Wits get the points

SuperSport United beat Moroka Swallows 2-1 in their Premier Soccer League (PSL) game played at Germiston Stadium on Friday night, and Bidvest Wits beat Bloemfontein Celtic 2-0 in their match.

Part of the game in Germiston was played in heavy rain and referee Robert Smith was forced to stop the match for 15 minutes towards the end of the second half, before the weather cleared and they were able to resume play.

The visitors led 1-0 at half-time through left-footed winger Daine Klate. He scored his brilliant goal in the 15th minute when striker Fikru Tefera laid on a beautiful cross and Klate made no mistake placing the ball into the net.

The game started at a rapid pace and both goalkeepers were forced to work overtime from the firing line-up of strikers. The Beautiful Birds were good on counter-attack, but failed to punish

SuperSport goalkeeper Andre Arendse who was in good form.

Five minutes before half-time, Swallows nearly equalised from a free kick but the experienced Arendse parried for a corner kick.

In the 43rd minute, Alton Meiring had his chance to register his name on the score sheet, but headed over the bar. In the 56th minute, United’s Katlego Mashego scored after breaking through the Swallows defenders and collecting Klate’s neat pass to increase their tally to 2-0.

Swallows coach Ian Gorowa replaced Edzai Kasinauyo with striker Sandile Ndlovu on the half-hour mark and it worked for his team as Ndlovu scored the consolation goal when the game restarted after the rain delay. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late to change the result.

SuperSport move into the top five with 15 points while Swallows move down two places to seventh as they remain on 13 points. — Sapa

Wits beat Celtic

Meanwhile, Bidvest Wits beat Bloemfontein Celtic 2-0 in a well-balanced PSL game at Milpark Stadium. The Clever Boys led 1-0 at the break.

Just as Khabo Zondo thought the game would go into the break goalless, Wits striker Clive Moyo-Modise had other ideas and scored a beautiful shot five minutes before the interval.

In the second half, both coaches made changes with Zondo hoping to equalise, but luck was not on his side. On several occasions, while Celtic tried to score, the Clever Boys’ rear guard refused to give them an opportunity and they could not penetrate the solid defence.

Referee Charles Theron stamped his authority on the game and, as early as the seventh minute, he gave Celtic’s Keamogetswe Wolff his marching orders.

Wits capitalised on this, put pressure on the opposition and were eventually rewarded with a second goal towards the end of the game.

In the opening minutes of the game, Wits striker Noah Chivuta missed a penalty, but later made amends when he scored a thunderous shot to ensure his team were victorious. Celtic left empty-handed.

Wits move from position nine into the top five with 15 points, while Celtic remain in second position on 17 points. — Sapa