Downs a happy side after derby draw
SPRING should have sprung with a goalfest at the Lucas Moripe Stadium yesterday.
But the Tshwane derby only succeeded in whetting the appetite for the second leg of this MTN8 semifinal which will be played at the same venue in just over a fortnight’s time.
SuperSport versus Sundowns has long become the premier derby of the local game. Incredibly though, the goals only materialised late in the first half. The hosts, SuperSport, taking the lead thanks to a powerfully headed goal by Thamsanqa Gabuza.
This followed splendid work by Sipho Mbule who send Onismor Bhasera flying on the left.
The Zimbabwean leftback then cut the ball back towards the penalty area where an unmarked Gabuza connected to find the net.
SuperSport’s lead didn’t last long as Gaston Sirino restored parity two minutes later.
He scored with a powerful shot from point blank following a poor clearance by Clayton Daniels.It was an afternoon of both goalkeepers living a charmed life.
Almost immediately after Gabuza’s missed chance on six minutes, when he headed wide, Sundowns forced a double safe out of Ronwen Williams.
Bradley Grobler spotted Denis Onyango off his line on the quarter-hour mark but his long range shot blasted the side-netting.
Gabuza had another header on 37 minutes go wide after a superb cross from the right by Evans Rusike. A few minutes earlier Onyango nearly scored an own goal when he punched the ball against his own crossbar.
It was the same story after the break with both two sides failing to convert opportunities.
Onyango showed his agility when he pulled off a great reaction safe after the ball had bounced off Wayne Arendse’s knee.
And there was a clearance off the line by Bongani Khumalo after Williams had half-cleared a Tebogo Langerman attempt while Mosa Lebusa intercepted a dangerous cross by Aubrey Modiba from reaching Thabo Qalinge.
In the end, the draw was perhaps a true reflection.
However, the result would have left Sundowns the happier side with the away goal ahead of the second leg.