Putsche overthrows United with a cracking opening goal

Cape Town City (0) 2 SuperSport United (0) 0

GOALS: Roland Putsche (55th min), Craig Martin (67th min)

● A cracking half-volley from Roland Putsche and a second goal from birthday boy Craig Martin ensured a winning start to Benni McCarthy’s second season as a coach as Cape Town City beat SuperSport United 2-0 on the opening day of the new Absa Premiership season yesterday.

It took until 10 minutes into the second half to break the deadlock but the goal was a sumptuous shot from an angle at the back post, hit with venom to get the campaign under way.

It came from a mazy run down the left by Bradley Ralani and a cross to the back post where Putsche was unmarked.

Thabo Nodada’s mazy run into the SuperSport area set up the second as he got a cross in that substitute Matthew Rusike slid goalwards. That initial effort was saved by SuperSport United goalkeeper Ronwen Williams but Rusike flipped the rebound wide for Martin to slot away with ease.

“We want to dominate at home, we want to play good football and I’m glad it has happened like this,” said Putsche afterwards.

City had four new players in their starting lineup, including tall Dutch goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburg whose work permit arrived on Friday, while there was a familiar look to the SuperSport United selection by coach Kaitano Tembo, whose position as head coach was only confirmed 24 hours before kick-off when he signed a two-year contract.

SuperSport’s intentions were clear as they allowed City the run of the ball and looked to catch the hosts on the counter.

Bradley Grobler, back after six months on the sidelines following knee surgery, looked hungry to get things going but SuperSport’s forwards were repeatedly caught offside.

For City there was plenty of time to show their potential on the ball with Teko Modise running things in the middle, but with most of the impact coming out wide on the left, where Ralani and Edmilson got plenty of ball across to the middle. But they could not find new striker Siphelele Mthembu to finish. Instead the only work that Williams had in the first half was to save two long-range efforts from Riyaad Norodien, another new signing in Benni McCarthy’s selection.

SuperSport might have had a late penalty appeal when James Keene was brought down by Edmilson but referee Kulsande Qonqgo was behind play.

Had that been awarded SuperSport could have pulled one back and made for a difficult last 10 minutes for City, but McCarthy’s side were worthy winners.