New Free State Stars coach Themba Sithole got his career off to a perfect start in guiding his club to a 2-0 win over Maritzburg United on Saturday at the Charles Mopeli Stadium.
But the win was overshadowed when both sides, who each made three substitutions, had to finish with 10-men after a terrible clash of heads between Stars’ keeper Kennedy Mweene and United striker Fadlu Davids in injury time.
Zambian international Mweene was knocked unconscious and was taken to hospital, while Davids broke his nose.
Stars striker Diyo Sibisi punished United for two bad defensive blunders — one in each half.
Stars were good value for their 1-0 lead at halftime. But, had it not been some poor finishing and astute goalkeeping from United’s Hunter Gilstrap, the home side could have wrapped it up by the break.
Stars got off to a great start when Sibisi capitalised on a defensive blunder by Tshepo Mashishi and Dikulu Bageta and chipped the ball over Gilstrap to put Stars into a 1-0 lead after three minutes.
United could have levelled the game six minutes later but Davids failed to control a pass from Brice Aka and opted to play the ball back to Tony Tsabedze, whose shot was deflected for a corner.
United gained in confidence and came close in the 36th minute but their Ghanaian midfielder John Arwual’s shot was fractionally wide.
Ngcobo set up Matombe Madimabe in the 40th minute with a great chance, but Madimabe shot well wide.
Then Gilstrap came to the rescue with a good save off a goal-bound Ngcobo header three minutes from the interval.
Aka forced Mweene to deflect his shot for a corner in the 49th minute as United came out after the break determined to net the equaliser.
United substitute Junior Khanye showed that he still has plenty of skills to offer when the former Kaizer Chiefs’ midfielder carved an opening in the Stars’ defence minutes after coming on and tested Mweene in the 57th minute.
Ngcobo was desperately unlucky when he hit the woodwork twice in the 59th minute. The tall striker, who continued to torment the visitors’ fence, headed against the crossbar and then struck the post seconds later with another powerful header.
Stars’ substitute Jimmy Kauleza wasted a chance to make it 2-0 when the veteran striker blasted wide in the 75th minute in the pouring rain.
But Stars made their quarterfinal berth safe in the 83rd minute when Kauleza latched on to a long punt from Mweene and crossed to Sibisi, who only had to tap it into the empty net.
Stars midfielder Reuben Cloete had to take over from Mweene in goal for the final two minutes of injury time after Mweene and Davids were stretchered off the field. – Sapa