Stellenbosch edge wasteful SuperSport

Grant Kekana of Supersport United is challenged by Mpho Matsi of Stellenbosch FC during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 game between Stellenbosch FC and Supersport United at Cape Town Stadium on 14 February 2020 © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Friday Feb 14, 2020. 22:08

Stellenbosch FC defeated SuperSport United 1-0 in an Absa Premiership match at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.

As a result, Stellies moved up to the seventh spot on the league table, while Matsatsantsa remained fourth on the log.

Matsatsantsa pushed for an early goal in the opening stages of the encounter, but the Stellies defence looked solid and compact.

The visitors tried their luck from range with Sipho Mbule and Tebogo Mokoena unleashing shots from distance which failed to trouble Stellenbosch goalkeeper Lee Langeveldt.

Stellies were struggling to contain Kaitano Tembo’s men with South Africa under-23 international Mbule looking lively for the away side.

Mbule pulled the trigger from outside the box in the 38th minute and his deflected shot was easily saved by experienced keeper Langeveldt.

The score was 0-0 during the half-time break with SuperSport having dominated the first-half, but they could not beat Langeveldt.

Langeveldt continued to frustrate Matsatsantsa after the restart as he made two good saves to deny Kudakwashe Mahachi and Ghampani Lungu.

Steve Barker, the Stellenbosch coach, then made a change pulling out Ovidy Karuru, who was ineffective, and he introduced Wassem Isaacs.

The move paid off as the hosts broke the deadlock when Nathan Sankala scored with a header from a corner-kick to make it 1-0 to Stellenbosch on the hour-mark.

Tembo reacted by introducing Aubrey Modiba and Thamsanqa Gabuza as the three-time Absa Premiership champions looked to restore parity.

Modiba injected some pace into the SuperSport attack and he forced Langeveldt into a great save with 19 minutes left on the clock.

The hosts then stood firm at the back and ultimately, Stellenbosch emerged 1-0 winners over SuperSport on the night.

Stellenbosch (0) 1 (Sinkala 60′)

SuperSport (0) 0

Stellenbosch: Langeveldt, Mobbie, Van Heerden, Mthethwa, Johannes, Mbekile (Bergman 78′), Sinkala, Matsi, Rayners (Moroole 89′), Karuru (Isaacs 57′), Moon.

SuperSport: Williams, Bhasera (Modiba 65′), Kekana, Ditlhokwe, Daniels, Mokoena (Gabuza 66′), Mbule, Furman, Mahachi, Manziba, Grobler.