Roaring Bombers, bombed

Alexandra’s Gauteng FC have moved a step closer to clinching the Safa Promotional League title following their 2–0 win against fellow Alex side, Roaring Bombers at the Alexandra Stadium.

Gauteng currently on top of the league with 64 points and only two games to go before the end of the season, they only need a single point from their remaining two games to win the league.

Winning the league means an automatic promotion to the SAB League, which is three leagues below the Premier Division. The other leagues are the ABC Motsepe League and the National First Division League (NFD).

Gauteng player Nkululeko Mthembu told Alex News in an interview soon after their match that he and his teammates were delighted with the win which puts them within range for promotion to the SAB League.

“We need a minimum of a draw in one of our two last games and we’re home and dry in the SAB League,” said Mthembu, describing their game against the Bombers as having been played to the letter of instruction from the coach.

“The coach urged us before the game to try and knock two quick goals in order to weaken the opponents and it worked, although we took our foot off the pedal a bit in the second half we still defended well,” he said.

As per instructions, Gauteng earned an early penalty in the 11th minute of the game which was converted by Sifiso Fakude.

The Bombers were then reduced to 10 men when Jerry Ngobeni was given his marching orders for an early shower by the referee for deliberately handling the ball in the box.

Two minutes before the break, the hardworking Gift ‘Cheese’ Gayiyana went on a solo run from the middle of the park and dribbled past all the defenders before unleashing a thunderbolt past a hapless Bombers keeper.

In the second half, Sanele Zulu could have made it 3–0 had he given a much-needed touch to a cross that went past the goalmouth.

The Bombers were also enterprising, especially in the second half where they missed several chances that could have seen them come from behind to clinch a win.

Bombers coach Vusi Mdluli was full of praise for his boys of the 18th Avenue-based team but said the early red card had cost them the game. “As far as I am concerned, Gauteng never gave us a fright as both goals were a result of our own silly mistakes,” he said.