Igesund lifts S’Sport to cup glory
United bag title in cracking encounter
ABETTER use of attacking players has seen SuperSport United turn around their fortunes and win this year’s Telkom Knockout trophy.
Thuso Phala’s stunning 111th-minute strike separated United from a brave but unfortunate Platinum Stars in a 3-2 thriller that saw SuperSport come out victorious at the Orlando Stadium last Saturday. The dramatic encounter, which saw the rivals’ fortunes swinging back and forth, could easily have been one of the best cup finals in recent memory.
“I thought it was a wonderful game of football, and I have to give credit to [Stars coach] Allan Freese and his team,” SuperSport coach Gordon Igesund said.
“Both teams wanted to attack and it was end-to-end stuff at one stage.”
Both teams played to character: SuperSport were refined while Stars were gutsy and direct.
Igesund’s return to domestic football has yielded a trophy in 10 matches. The former Bafana Bafana manager has added to his SAA Supa8, MTN8 and four league trophies.
SuperSport, who were patchy and lacking in confidence at the end of Cavin Johnson’s stint, have scored 20 goals under Igesund’s guidance.
“When I came in I wanted us to go forward more, because I have a lot of good attacking players,” Igesund said.
“I wanted to do it with speed, and draw teams into certain areas. It’s important to give credit to the players for taking to it so quickly.”
The match’s three penalties played a big role.
Referee Thando Ndzandzeka’s decisions will be the topic of discussion on tonight’s soccer shows.
Robert Ng’ambi opened Stars’s account and Clayton Daniels equalised from the spot. Daniels scored again from a penalty in the 105th minute, and Mogakolodi Ngele equalised for Stars with a volley two minutes later.
At 2-2, Stars’ Eleazar Rodgers’s penalty was stopped by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Then Phala scored the winner.
Igesund revealed he told Williams which way to go for the penalty.
“I told Ronwen if we get a penalty against us, to look at me and I would see who was taking it and tell him what to do. I told him to go to his left because Rodgers always takes his penalties to the right,” the coach said.
Daniels had been successful with three penalties this season, including two in this competition, and took his two in the cup final with authority.
“I was confident having done well with penalties,” the centre-back said.
“I took a few [on Friday during training]. And the coach told me, ‘I know you can take penalties – just be relaxed and really focus on what you want to do’,” Daniels said.
“[For the first penalty] I [repeated what] I did at training, hitting it straight.
“[For] the second one I thought the ’keeper [Siyabonga Mpontshane] might stand straight, so I went for the top-right corner,” he said.
Freese said he had a tough job lifting his players for the league, on whose table they were at a precarious 14th spot.
“You are disappointed when you get into a final and don’t win it.
“But my players did really, really well,” Freese said.
“It’s going to be tough to lift them. But I’ve got to – the cup is gone and the league is more important.”