Stalemate the best the leaders can do

TRY Again and Manchester United edged their opponents 1-0 respectively yesterday to be joint SAB provincial playoff Group B leaders.

Both sides started the playoffs that got under way at the University of Fort Hare in Alice on a high and stand a good chance of claiming one of the two available ABC Motsepe League spots up for grabs. United beat Junior Chiefs 10, while Try Again beat Amavarara by the same margin.

United were the first team to assert themselves as they dominated the congested midfield and created several good chances that should have easily been buried.

The Sarah Baartman regional champions should have been at least three goals to the good in the opening stanza but their poor finishing let them down.

Their finishing was so horrendous that they did not even make the keeper work with most of the clearcut chances that they created.

Chiefs played in patches but whenever they reached the final third, they showed intent and aggression.

Unlike their opponents, the Joe Gqabi representatives forced the United goalkeeper to make a couple of good saves whenever they created a rare chance.

The second half was no different as it was also characterised by missed chances. Had it not been for Chiefs goalkeeper Khanya Khombisa, who pulled off a couple of good saves in the second half, United would have won by a bigger margin.

It looked as if Chiefs and United were going to play to a stalemate until attacking midfielder Mzoxolo Rhafani eluded at least three defenders when he made a beautiful solo run before passing to Azola Boma, who put the chance away in the 85th minute.

In the other game, Amavarara dominated the first half with Buhle Bokoda creating chances to score two times but Baxolise Nqumashe failed to finish.

Try Again upped their game by chasing Amavarara and keeping ball play in their turf, but they lacked the killer touch.

Try Again player Thembani Madikane missed an easy chance when he chipped it too high.

Nkosomzi Mzazi got cautioned with a yellow card when he fouled Try Again’s Awethu Qolosha just outside the box.

Vusumzi Mthiya stepped up and took the free-kick and scored past stunned Amavarara shotstopper Mawethu Gwanku.

Try Again then dropped back and played on the counter as they looked to protect their lead.

Amavarara threw everything at Try Again but their defence stood firm.