Leopards maul Stars

Black Leopards kept their title hopes alive by beating Cape Town All Stars 2-1 in their NFD league match at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors from the mother city were lucky not to concede half a dozen of goals during the first half as the Thohoyandou side were unstoppable at that time. It took Black Leopards only six minutes to open their account. They were awarded a free kick just outside the box after their overlapping defender, Marks Munyai, was brought down. Thivhavhudzi Ndou scored with a header.

The Stars lost shape in the middle of the park shortly after Leopards’ opening goal. Leopards failed to capitalize as their strikers lacked power to break Stars’ wall. All Stars tried to neutralize Leopards by introducing a midfielder, Jacobus Justin, who replaced Maqola Akhola in the 18^th minute.

The Giyani-born referee, Mr Victor Hlungwani, flashed the first yellow card in the 24^th minute. Sekese Paseka was reprimanded for a bad tackle on Siphelele Mkhulise.

The home side were leading 2-0 at half time. Their second goal came in the 34^th minute. Mwape Musonda was on target, following a square pass from Sphelele Ntshangase.

All Stars effected another change to their starting line-up early in the last half. They replaced Mosiatlakga Keqikantse with Setelele Nyembezi. The replacement marked the turning point of the game. Stars started to play attacking football and pulled one back through Sekese Paseka. He beat Leopards’ keeper, Aubrey Mathibe, with a long-range ground cutter.

Leopards replaced Mwape Musonda, Sphelele Ntshangase and Khayelihle Shozi with Ivan Mahangwahaya, Morgan Shivambu and Mziwokuthula Zimu respectively. Mahangwahaya’s ground cutter hit the woodwork in the dying minutes of the game. 

Sport - Date: 23 March 2017

Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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