NORTH West University (NWU) won University of Johannesburg (UJ) 1-0 in the fifth round of a varsity football competition at UJ campus in Soweto on August 22.
The home side, UJ, came to the match at the back of a 2-2 draw with the University of Western Cape while the visitors also drew their last game against University of Pretoria 1-1.
UJ needed to register their first win at home and their start showed that only a victory will be ideal for them.
From the onset, the home side showed tenacity and hunger as they bossed things around in the middle of the field.
In the opening five minutes, UJ failed to capitalise on their dominance and allowed NWU to feel at home.
The visitor geared themselves to the game and proved to be quicker than the home side.
NWU strike Mandisi Gadla took UJ’s defence on a run and penetrated himself inside the 18-yard area. As he was about to unleash a shot he was brought down by Siyabonga Goqo and the referee pointed to the spot.
Lindani Nkabinde took the responsibility of taking the kick but to his dismay he missed.
UJ played very well building from the back and using their left flank trying to create scoring opportunities but they lacked sharpness in the striking force as every ball they played in the third half of NWU was dealt with easily by the visitors.
NWU’s front three had speed, skill and strength they used that to their advantage as they played long balls behind NWU’s defence.
Nkabinde used his skill and strength to cut through UJ’s defence which saw him seeing the goal post with a keeper to beat.
But with pressure taking its toll he passed straight to UJ shot-stopper Alan Mabuza. UJ was lucky to go to the interval deadlocked.
In an electrifying crowd as a neutral you would’ve thought UJ will start the second half fired up but that wasn’t the case as NWU silenced everyone in the stands with a goal scored by Mandisi Gadla within the first two minutes of the second play.
UJ tried all they could to find an equaliser but they were denied by the stubborn defence of the visitors.
In closing stages of the match, NWU opted to play one-route balls and that worked for them as the game ended favouring the visitors.
