SuperSport’s hopes alive

Africa quest on as Polokwane downed

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SUPERSPORT United revived their chances of playing continental football next season after climbing to the third spot on the Premiership standings, thanks to the 2-0 victory over relegation threatened Polokwane City at Bidvest Stadium yesterday.

The ask of playing a match at least after every three days has been daunting for most teams, as they’ve squandered points which they were expected to bag with ease. But it’s been a different script for SuperSport thus far.

The Tshwane-based side are gaining momentum on every match-day and having accumulated full points they served as evidence of their ability to adjust to the demands of restart of the season after starting off with the lacklustre 1-1 draw with Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday.

Or perhaps, many may argue in the first game that, Kaitano Tembo’s men were still wrapping their heads around the departure of skipper and engine room marshal Dean Furman, who left the club at the end of his contract to reunite with his wife and first born in England. Without Furman at first, there was more bad than good as their lack of discipline, even from his successor Ronwen Wiiliams, cost the team a chance to consolidate a top three spot.

But they wouldn’t have such acts of demeanour yesterday – especially with Williams on a mini-vacation in the first half. The engine room was stable, stabilised by 21-year-old Jesse Donn who was making his first appearance of the season and eager to impress coach Tembo who’s still in search of Furman’s full-time replacement.

Donn got the rare start after Sipho Mbule picked up his fourth yellow card against Celtic. But the former stuck to basics, being a link between defence and Teboho Mokoena who was the supplier for the striking contingent.

The organisation of the engine room bore fruit with Ghampani Lungu, who was making his first start since the resumption, ensuring that his team took a slender lead to the break.

City’s midfielder Salulani Phiri gave the ball clumsily to Bradley Grobler who made a defence splitting pass to Lungu who calmly finished the move by slotting past George Chigova. Grobler again made his presence felt late into stoppage time. He headed home Kudakwashe Mahachi’s delivery from close range as he increased his tally to 13 goals, one behind the league’s top goal scorer Gabdinho Mhango.