Ernst Middendorp's first game in charge of Cape Town Spurs ended in a 2-1 defeat to Royal AM in DStv Premiership action on Saturday evening.
Middendorp gave youngster Luuk Baartman a full debut upfront, while Sedwyn George lined up for Royal AM against his former club.
Following a slow start, the Urban Warriors threatened the breakthrough when Baartman got in behind after a stray pass and fired against the upright from close-range.
The glaring miss were punished five minutes to halftime as Menzi Masuku pulled back a perfectly placed cross from Shaune Mogaila for a certain Shezi to step in and pounce.
Middendorp refreshed his attacking stall after the break and introduced Luvuyo Phewa for Surprise Ralani before seeing the club’s top scorer last season Ashley Cupido replace Therlo Moosa.
Spurs enjoyed an encouraging opening in the resumption and were denied the equaliser when Hugo Nyame produced a sprawling save to parry Keagan Buchana’s first-time shot.
The visitors stretched their lead ten minutes in the second half after a long ball in behind caught the defence flat-footed and allowed Masuku all the freedom to cut inside for a near post finish.
Spurs did have the ball in the net inside the closing quarter with a point-blank effort from Cupido following a cross, but he had gone too early and was flagged for offside.
Cupido wasn’t denied the second time as he got on the score-sheet on 75 minutes when he made a trademark run to the near post and side-footed in superbly.
Spurs pushed for the equaliser as the minutes ticked away, but Thwihli Thwahla managed to hold firm and bagged all the points on offer.
Confirmed line-ups:
Cape Town Spurs: Ramsbottom, Lukhubeni, Daniels, Dortley, Bern, Ryan, Moroole, Buchanan, Ralani, Baartman, Moosa
Subs: Boshoff, Allie, Nel, Phewa, Thethani, Morton, Msani, Cupido, Butsaka
Royal AM: Nyame, Mahlasela, Manganyi, Mogaila, Masuku, Matlaba, Dlamini, Msomi, Shezi, George, Jiyane
Subs: Heugh, Gamildien, Mabuza, Ncobeni, Dlamini, Kobedi, Sithole, Magaqa, Macuphu
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