Pes Porto stumble at last hurdle

KURUMAN’S Maruping United upstaged Kimberley’s Pes Porto on Saturday beating them 3-2 at the Galeshewe Stadium, thereby booking themselves a place in the third tier ABC Motsepe League for the coming season.

This loss was a major setback for Pes Porto who had ridden a wave of good results throughout the season in the SAB League in the Frances Baard district. Porto’s year-ong success had on Saturday landed them in the three-way contest with Maruping United and Union Players FC from the Pixley ka Seme district.

Porto’s total collapse at the eleventh hour, when all they had to do was win two matches this weekend to march into the ABC Motsepe League, left many of their devoted supporters devastated. Many fans left the Galeshewe Stadium dejected at the result.

The rot had set in during the first game when Porto lost 3-2 to Union Players in their first game. Maruping took to the pitch in the second match and added to Union Players’ misery when they managed to beat them 3-2, allowing them on foot in the door

In the Porto vs Maruping clash, in the 25th minute hopes were raised when Porto were awarded a penalty spot kick after Shuffle Dichabe was fouled in the box. Porto’s

Ruan Anderson made no mistake and deftly put the ball behind Maruping’s shot stopper (1-0)

Immediately after this goal Maruping brought fresh legs onto the park.

This tactic significantly improved their showing on the pitch. The Kuruman team’s sustained pressure paid off when they scored in the 55h minute (1-1). Porto too resorted to substitutions after this in an effort to regain the upper hand.

But Maruping Tshepiso Lebega stretched the Kuruman team’s lead to 2-1 over Porto in the 65th minute. Lebega came back in the 73rd minute and took a free kick in front of the Porto goal area from where he scored his brace (3-1).

Porto got a second penalty awarded to them late in the game. Anthony Mbesi scored from the chalk spot (3-2). But that effort came too late to save Porto who exited the play-offs.

Maruping coach Power Gaetsewe said afterwards: “We are lucky to win this game. Football has been great to us today. I am happy at my team for winning this promotion battle. We have been in the league for 10 years and have thrice taken part in play-offs only to win it now on the third try.”

Porto manager Deon Vorster admitted: “We lost against a better team. Maruping were just too good for us.

“Good luck to them for the next stage of their league,” he said.