Stars down SuperSport

The goals were scored by Henrico Botes and Mduduzi Nyanda.

Before kick-off the players did not come out for their warm up session because of thunder and lightning. As a result, the game was delayed for fifteen minutes.

Supersport United had a brief spell on top in the opening stanza but this lasted for a only a couple of minutes as Platinum Stars grew with confidence and built momentum with every attack.

Botes broke the stalemate in the 11th minute. This was after a long pass from Phelelani Mpangase, SuperSport United keeper, Wayne Brown, instead of kicking the ball away, he tried to be fancy but failed to get hold of the ball, and the Namibian striker capitalized on the mistake to put the visitors in the driving seat.

United could have equalized in the 32nd minute, but after connecting with Bradley Carnell’s free-kick, Bongani Khumalo’s header went wide with Stars’ keeper Tapuwa Kapini at his mercy.

Their purpose and commitment an attack at that stage certainly warranted an equalizer but Gavin Hunt’s charges lacked maturity in front of goal.

However, it was Stars who scored. The goal was a result of Thuso Phala zooming past Ricardo Katza before laying a cross to Mduduzi Nyanda for him to score with an easy tap-in the 39th minute.

In the hectic second half, Supersport were stymied as they tried and failed to penetrate the visitors’ defence with fire fighters on the Stars side in Chief Stanley Kgatla and Edward Williams.

Nevertheless, Stars continued where they left in the first half. “Dikwena” played their quick game, forcing “Matsatsantsa” to defend deep in their own half.

There was drama in the 76th minute, when the referee stopped the game and ordered the players to go to the dressing rooms because of lightning and thunder. However, it wasn’t long before the game resumed in the 79th minute.

SuperSport ended the game with only ten men after Fikru Teferra was red carded for a second bookable offence.