/ 24 March 2008

SuperSport storm to league top spot

A full moon seemed to smile benignly on SuperSport United as they thrashed Free State Stars 6-1 at the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville on Sunday night and took the Premier Soccer League log lead from Ajax Cape Town.

Having scored little more than an average of one goal per game in their previous 22 encounters, SuperSport’s new-found potency, which gives them a one-point advantage over long-standing log leaders Ajax, was nothing less than stunning.

It should be noted, however, that Stars enjoyed 50% possession and only found themselves in disarray because of a defence that was as leaky as a sieve.

And, while SuperSport gained an early 2-0 lead through Dennis Masina and Katlego Mashego, they were somewhat flattered by their 2-1 lead at half-time after Stembiso Ngcobo had reduced the deficit in the 26th minute.

The game was effectively decided by a three-goal scoring spree in the space of 15 minutes immediately after the interval, with Masina scoring a second goal, the industrious Daine Klate gaining just rewards when he made the score 4-1 and Fikru Tefera securing an elusive goal of his own after often doing the running for others.

With Free State probing to score in the closing stages to add a degree of respectability to the score line, it was SuperSport who found the net instead through a header from dominant defender Bongani Khumalo following a corner.

The 10 goals that Stars have conceded in their past two league matches against Chiefs and SuperSport are a clear indication that the fifth-placed team in the log have problems — and not only in defence.

As for SuperSport, it was something of a ”Super Sunday”. — Sapa