Grobler the star turn at the final
SuperSport United humiliated Orlando Pirates 4-1 in the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday. Here, rule over the performance of both sides and picks out a Man-of-the-Match. runs his
SuperSport United Ronwen Williams
The young SuperSport goalkeeper could have spent much of this game on a deckchair reading a book, but made an important firsthalf save when called upon from Dove Wome. Otherwise Williams’ hardest challenge was probably running the length of the field to celebrate one of SuperSport’s goals. There was nothing he could do to stop Oupa Manyisa’s late penalty. 7/10
Grant Kekana
A superb performance from the young rightback who did his defensive duties well and produced a key moment in SuperSport’s opening goal, cutting in superbly from the right and delivering a low cross that Bradley Grobler turned into the net. 8/10
Morgan Gould
Gould’s most trouble defensively was a bang to the head in the second half which he recovered from quickly enough. The veteran defender helped see off Pirates’ attacking threat with relative ease and also went just wide with an early header at the other end. Showing no sign of going into retirement just yet. 7/10
Clayton Daniels
Got an absolute tongue-lashing from Ronwen Williams when he allowed Wome into the space behind him in the first half for Pirates’ only real chance until their penalty. Calm was restored quickly, however, and Daniels was typically assured alongside Gould. 6/10
Aubrey Modiba
Had a good battle on his flank with Thabo Rakhale all evening. Got forward at times with purpose and was a bit unlucky to be booked at the end and have a penalty awarded against him after barely making contact with Luvuyo Memela. 7/10
Thuso Phala
Really came into the game in the second half, powering down the right wing with pace and skill. Won the soft penalty that Jeremy Brockie missed, then his excellent run and deflected cross set up Bradley Grobler for SuperSport’s third goal, and another deflected pass ran into the path of Kingston Nkhatha for the fourth. Was a little odd that he was given the television Man-of-the-Match award, however. 7/10
Dean Furman
A powerhouse performance from Furman in midfield, sharp into the tackle and even getting forward to good effect, his lovely ball to Grobler starting the move for SuperSport’s second goal. Getting back to the sort of form that made him such a star for Bafana Bafana under Gordon Igesund. 8/10
Reneilwe Letsholonyane
The ageless Letsholonyane was brilliant alongside Furman, as the two carved Pirates apart in central midfield. Whether protecting his back four, spraying long passes or charging into the opposition penalty area, Letsholonyane was a 35-year-old non-stop bundle of energy that put the Pirates side to shame. 8/10
Thabo Mnyamane
Mnyamane posed constant problems to Pirates down the left, holding his position well and delivering some good balls in, notably for Gould and Bradley Grobler in the first half. He did miss an absolute sitter in the second half, but
Phakaaathi
by then his side were already 3-0 up and it didn’t really matter. Was replaced by Mandla Masango in the 84th minute. 7/10
Jeremy Brockie
Brockie certainly has a claim to be the most consistently impressive striker in the PSL right now, and showed why again here, with a superb display, running the Buccaneers back four ragged with partner-in-crime Bradley Grobler. Saw his second half penalty saved, but showed his mental strength as he headed in SuperSport’s key second goal. 8/10
Bradley Grobler
Man-of-the-Match. Grobler has battled for fitness in his time at SuperSport but has produced special performances at key moments and this was the best of the lot. The signs were there in the opening minutes when he was just flagged offside when clean through and he put another effort wide before turning in Kekana’s cross. Then his magical cross set up Brockie for SuperSport’s second and he applied a tremendous finish to Phala’s cross to completely kill off the Buccaneers. Grobler might have had a hat-trick, too, before being replaced by Kingston Nkatha in the 79th minute. 9/10
Kingston Nkhatha
Came on in the 79th minute and did pretty much all he could by steering in SuperSport’s fourth goal a few minutes later. 7/10
Mandla Masango
On for Mnyamane in the 84th minute. Not on long enough to be rated.
Michael Morton
On for Brockie in the 88th minute. Not on long enough to be rated.
Orlando Pirates Siyabonga Mpontshane
Mpontshane did all he could to stop Pirates from shipping even more goals in Durban. He made a good first-half save to stop Jeremy Brockie’s deflected shot and an even better save to keep out Brockie’s second-half penalty. Another fine stop late on prevented Pirates from getting five. One had to feel sorry for a man offered little protection by his back four. 7/10
Thabo Matlaba
With this kind of display, it is hard to believe Thabo Matlaba was ever Bafana Bafana material. Was absolutely nowhere in the rightback position and offered little going forward, bar one second-half shot where he might have been better off crossing the ball. His skewed clearance ultimately led to SuperSport’s third goal. Awful. 1/10
Happy Jele
Probably Pirates’ best defender on the night, though that is really not saying much. Was a bit unlucky to have a penalty given against him for a foul on Thuso Phala and also a little unfortunate to have a late header ruled out for offside. 6/10
Abbubaker Mobara
An anonymous performance from Mobara at the back who was comfortably out-muscled by the likes of Jeremy Brockie and Bradley Grobler. A real shame for the former Ajax man, who has been one of Pirates’ better performers this season. 4/10
Patrick Phungwayo
Offered nothing going forward from leftback and was given a torrid time by Thuso Phala down his left flank. All in all, a humbling evening for a man who could be on his way out of the Buccaneers soon. 3/10
Mpho Makola
Nowhere to be seen for much of the match, fired one second-half shot wide, and was deservedly replaced by Luvuyo Memela in the 69 the minute. Makola is another whose form has disappeared of late. 3/10
Oupa Manyisa
What has happened to a man who used to be the driving force behind the Buccaneers? Manyisa looks lost wearing the captain’s armband in this side, unable to rally his troops to the cause. He was completely overrun alongside Issa Sarr in Pirates’ midfield. His late penalty was well-taken but an irrelevance. 3/10
Issa Sarr
Offered slightly more than Manyisa in the middle of the park, but, while his distribution was decent at times, he still couldn’t really get a grip in an area dominated by
Jonty Mark
Furman and Letsholonyane. 5/10
Thabo Rakhale
Pirates’ most dangerous creative threat throughout, Rakhale at least made Aubrey Modiba work at leftback for SuperSport. Sent in a couple of very dangerous crosses from the right wing, though the Buccaneers’ strikers never really looked like capitalising. 6/10
Dove Wome
Ran gamely against his old club, but his touch deserted him where it mattered most, notably when he failed to finish off Pirates’ best chance of the game when one-on-one with Ronwen Williams in the opening half. Brought off for Bernard Morrison in the 59th minute. 5/10
Thamsanqa Gabuza
Gabuza was furious with himself for missing with a first-half header, and missed another one after the break. He was generally wellmarked by Morgan Gould and Clayton Daniels, but at least he couldn’t be faulted for effort, unlike some others. Was replaced by Tendai Ndoro in the 75th minute. 5/10
Bernard Morrison
When Morrison came on in the 59th minute it was only 1-0 to SuperSport, but minutes later it was 3-0, and the Ghanaian’s chance of a meaningful impact was basically gone. 4/10
Luvuyo Memela
Came on for Makola in the 69th minute and offered more of an attacking threat, winning a last-gasp penalty. 6/10
Tendai Ndoro
On for Gabuza with 15 minutes to go on the clock and couldn’t make an impact. 4/10
Phakaaathi