Stars knock Wits out in first round
MTN8 champions Bidvest Wits crashed out of the first round of the Telkom Knockout Cup after being beaten 3-1 by hosts Free State Stars at Goble Park on Saturday.
Goals in extra time from Moeketsi Sekla, Nyiko Mobbie and Danny Venter saw Ea Lla Koto claim their first win of the season and join Cape Town City and Highlands Park in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Stars had the first shot in anger, with Goodman Dlamini’s effort from just outside the box dragged wide of the mark in the 19th minute, but from then on it was Wits who created the better chances in the remainder of the first half.
First Frank Mhango directed a volley mere inches over the crossbar seconds after Dlamini’s effort at the other end, while Elias Pelembe rattled the crossbar with a left-footed shot in the 33rd minute, having cut inside from the right flank to great effect.
The Clever Boys hit the woodwork again late in the half when Mhango got up highest to meet a dropping ball in the box, while the first stanza also featured a nasty off-the-ball kick from Stars’ Bokang Thlone on Thabang Monane.
The former was lucky to receive only a yellow card for his antics, while the latter tried to play on after the incident but ultimately succumbed to a knee injury and was replaced by Ben Motshwari.
The second half was an evenly matched affair, with genuine scoring chances few and far between.
The first real threat of a goal arrived with just under 20 minutes of regulation time to play when Wits’ Sifiso Hlanti drove a low shot on target, only to be denied by a good save from Thela Ngobeni.
In the 81st minute, Ea Lla Koto had a good chance when the ball fell kindly for Moketsi Sekola on the edge of the box, but the striker somewhat sliced his effort and failed to trouble Wits goalkeeper Darren Keet.
The match inevitably went to extra time, where Stars suddenly came to life and scored two quick goals.
The first arrived in the 93rd minute when Nyiko Mobbie provided a fine cross from the right for Sekola to power home a header at the far post and finally break the deadlock.
Two minutes later, the roles were reversed for the hosts to score a second, with Sekola turning a diagonal into Mobbie’s path and the young defender cracked home a low, left-footed shot to double Ea Lla Koto’s lead.
Three minutes into the second half of extra time, Stars almost made it 3-0 when Thokozani Sekotlong powered a drive on target, only for Keet to make a superb reaction save. However, his efforts were in vain as Venter soon crashed home the third to complete the scoring.
Wits were at least able to claim a late consolation goal when Daine Klate netted a brilliant right-footed shot from outside the box via the underside of the crossbar.