Blues win first home game

The game was played at the Boksburg City Stadium on Saturday, March 25.

The win was the Blues’ second in three games in the new campaign, following a 50 per cent win ratio in their first two games, which were on the road.

The local outfit made up for the 3-0 trouncing at the hands of Highlands Park in their opening match of the season when they beat Zwide 4-1 in their next match.

Olympia striker Chris Brits gave the visitors a great start when he put them in the lead before Boksburg’s Sibusiso Nkwayana levelled matters.

The Blues went into the lead for the first time in the match through Kagisano Seforo and that’s how it would stay going into the half-time break.

The visitors looked a bigger threat following the half-time break, when their coach gave them the Sir Alex Ferguson-esque hairdryer treatment on the pitch.

Olympia had the hosts on the back foot and increasingly looked like the next side to score as the score remained 2-1 for a long spell following the break.

It was the hosts, however, who scored the next goal against the run of play as Nkwayana pounced on a defence-splitting through pass from middle field before toe-poking the ball past Olympia’s advancing stopper.

Despite the healthy two-goal lead, there was still a sense of discomfort in the Boksburg ranks, with Olympia refusing to throw in the towel.

There would be one more big moment in the match as Boksburg’s Dylan Africa received his marching orders from a second yellow card for throwing the ball away during a stoppage.

The pressure on the home side was intensified and the visitors took full advantage as attacking mid-field, simply known as Marcos in the team, made it 3-2 from a low shot on the far post with 10 minutes to go.

The home side, however, hung on for the win, leaving the coach, Melvin Kruger, relieved.

“I am pleased with the result. It was a very tight game but the team showed great resolve and put their all into the game,” commented the mentor.

Olympia assistant coach, Giuliano Loddo, had the following to say about the encounter: “In the first half, our players were totally asleep.

“In the second half, tactical awareness and fitness could’ve clinched the game for us. A draw could’ve been a fair result but I’m happy with the performance from the boys.” – @SabeloBoksburg