Red-hot Boks do double over Pumas
Maritzburg and Supersport all square after semi-final first leg
Supersport United (0)1 Phala 54 Maritzburg United (0)1 Maboe 84 ERIC Tinkler will hope his side will be more alert in the last 15 minutes of the match when they travel to Kwazulu-natal for their second leg MTN8 semi-final encounter against Maritzburg United.
Last night Matsatsantsa a Pitori invited pressure in the last 15 minutes of the match after taking the lead in the in the second period of the match.
In the first period of the match, both sides opted to play the patient game. They were both trying to avoid being caught on a counter-attack.
Maritzburg are three-forthree after beating Mamelodi Sundowns with 1-0 in the last eight of the MTN8, before 2-0 Absa Premiership wins against Platinum Stars and Ajax Cape Town respectively.
Supersport, on the other hand, had experienced one hiccup in their last three matches, which was a 2-0 loss to archrivals Sundowns.
However, things opened in the last 15 minutes of the first half. Both sides showed great eagerness towards goal, as they pressed forward in search of an opener. But that goal didn’t come. Lack of deadly finishing and accuracy in front of the goal, was an Achilles heel for either side.
Bradley Grobler was presented with a decent chance in the 34th minute following a sweet cross from Thuso Phala in the near side. His header, though, didn’t trouble the keeper one bit. It went straight into Bongani Mpandle’s hands.
Things, however, took a different turn in the second half. Tinkler’s men took charge early on, scoring through Phala’s thunderbolt shot. The left winger blasted the ball home after receiving a superb THE Pumas let their fiery passions get the better of them as they spent 45 minutes of the game with only 14 men, eventually going down 41-23 to the Springboks in Salta. Poor discipline saved the Boks’ blushes as their own indecision and costly errors at crucial times kept the home side in the encounter.
Critical errors and nervous decision making epitomised the half that saw South Africa lead by 17-10.
Emiliano Boffelli kicked the first points of the game while Elton Jantjies missed two chances at equalising.
However, the Boks managed to walk away with an early advantage as serial offender Tomás Lavanini was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle. There was no damage done on the scoreboard though.
In fact, on Lavanini’s return Siya Kolisi scored as a planned move began with Jantjies chipping over the defence for Jesse Kriel to gather and offload to the flanker for a full seven-pointer.
Jantjies pushed the lead further with his first penalty in three attempts. But it was an instant reply, and a gift seven points for the Pumas, as Ramiro Moyano pounced on a bouncing ball off the kick-off for Argentina to level things at 10-all.
After speaking to the Pumas captain about the number of infringements Juan Manuel Leguizamón was given 10 minutes in the bin just before the break, and this time the Boks took the advantage off a short line-out as Jantjies weaved his way to dot down under the posts.
The second half was much more fire and passion as the cards continued to be dished pass inside the box unmarked. That goal helped Supersport settle down a bit.
Maritzburg coach Fadlu davids was bellowing instructions, trying to get them back into the game, hoping they would find the equaliser.
His never say die attitude out.
The Pumas came out flying in the second half, and earned three points from steady pressure. The Pumas also then pressured for a try, but then countering from their own tryline ended up in another Springbok five-pointer, and a second for Kolisi.
With the Boks starting to fire, Lavanini saw his second yellow, and thus a red, for a cynical knock-down as the opposition looked to score. And that is how the referee saw it as he also awarded a penalty try.
The Boks then let their passions run high as the Pumas pulled back a try after their red, but Andries Coetzee tackled scorer Martín Landajo into the advertising boards, and saw yellow for it. The Pumas also kicked off with a penalty, converted by Boffelli for a 10 point swing.
The game was made safe however, as the Boks worked their way up the field only to find Jean-luc du Preez on the wing to score his debut try for his country with two minutes to spare. helped his side to get back into it. The team of Choice kept pressing forward, trying to unlock a Supersport side who were now playing defensively in an attempt to protect their lead. Evan Rusike played a sweet pass to Maboe who thundered the ball past Ronwen Williams.
The second leg takes place next Saturday at the Harry Gwala Stadium.