Black Leopards claw past rivals in Polokwane

by Bertin Basson

Saturday Aug 04, 2018. 21:10

Black Leopards beat Limpopo rivals Polokwane City 1-0 in an Absa Premiership encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday evening, on the opening round of the 2018-19 league season.

Lidoda Duvha, who clawed their way back into South Africa's top-flight by winning the promotion-relegation playoffs last season, opened the scoring as early as the 12th minute.

Katabo Tshepe on target for the hosts from a set-piece as Leopards got their campaign up and running in the best possible way.

Rise and Shine battled valiantly in search of the equalizer and should've capitalized on a catalogue of chances, but Walter Musona and Banele Sikhondze failed to do just that.

Ivan Mahangwahaya squandered two chances to double Leopards lead in the closing stages of the encounter, but it mattered little in the end as the hosts claimed all three points.

Black Leopards (1) 1 (Tshepe 12')

Polokwane City 0 (0)

Black Leopards: Muleka; Ndou, Mashoena, Munganga, Ndlovu (Mokoena 89'), Nange, Mudau, Nene, Musonda, Tshepe (Hlongwane 87'), Mhlongo (Mahangwahaya 77').

Polokwane City: Chigova; Sikhosana, Hlongwane (Ravhuhali 81'), Motloung, Mbonani, Seabi, Ramagalela, Phiri (Maluleke 70'), Musona (Miya 75'), Maluleke, Sikhondze.