Supersport come in from the cold
SUPERSPORT United have the look of Absa Premiership contenders, notching their third straight win and this time against defending champions Kaizer Chiefs.
In the last cold snap of winter, SuperSport and Chiefs went at each other like heavyweight boxers.
Amakhosi edged the first half and took a lead into the break from Bernard Parker’s penalty. SuperSport responded by going up a gear, resulting in goals from Enocent Mkhabela, Bennett Chenene and a penalty by Bradley Grobler.
Chiefs have now gone three games without a win. The manner in which Amakhosi laboured to the title in the final third of last season, and have struggled recently after a bright start to 2013-14, might lend credence to a theory that Amakhosi’s slick game is becoming easier to plan for.
Coach Stuart Baxter clearly felt he needed to make some changes.
He reverted to the 3-5-2 formation that brought success late last season, and allows Baxter to get all three of his classy centrebacks — Tefu Mashamaite, Morgan Gould and Mulomowandau Mathoho — on the field at one time.
Reneilwe Letsholonoyane and George Lebese were dropped, and under-utilised Lucky Baloyi came into central midfield.
SuperSport coach Cavin Johnson surprisingly left influential centre forward Mame Niang on the bench, utiling Grobler up-front. Innocent Mdle- dle, David Mathebula and Mkhabela came in for Oupa Moeketsi, George Maluleka and Kurt Lentjies.
Amakhosi probed well early on. Baloyi shot wide from the edge of the area and Siphiwe Tshabalala forced a good save from goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
The well organised SuperSport made it hard for Chiefs to break through. So it would have been a relief to Amakhosi that they could take the lead in soft fashion when United midfielder Edwin Gyimah handled in his area, and referee Robert Smith pointed to the spot.
In fairness to Chiefs, they deserved their lead at the break, by which stage Itumeleng Khune had not been called on to make a save.
SuperSport did not panic. Playmaker Mkhabela produced a scorching 55th-minute equaliser that warmed Lucas Moripe. Latching onto a loose ball just inside Chiefs’ area on the right, he hit a swerving shot that streaked through the freezing highveld air and into the top corner.
Chiefs could have taken the lead again eight minutes later when both strikers, Bernard Parker and Knowledge Musona, had shots blocked by the SuperSport defence on the edge of the goal-line.
But Matsantsa took the crucial chance at the other end in the 71st minute when Thuso Phala forced a star-jump save from Khune. Livewire Bennet Chenene was lurking to bury the rebound on the left.
Four minutes later the game was all but wrapped up by the Pretoria team, when Siboniso Gaxa’s tugging at Chenene resulted in the second penalty of the game. Grobler’s spotkick was a carbon copy of Parker’s.