Platinum Stars outshine in Telkom Knockout

They collected a cheque for R4,25 million.
A second-half double from Mogakolodi
Ngele had Dikwena experience their second cup success this season after Lucky
Lekgwathi put the Buccaneers 1-0 up in the first half.
Pirates were hoping to
claim revenge on Stars for their defeat in the final of the MTN 8 earlier this
season, but the Rustenburg team turned the game on its head to pick up the
Telkom Knockout for the second time to the delight of a small group of
supporters in the crowd of 30 755.
Pirates were the quicker of the two
squads, but it was Stars who had the first shot in anger, with the dangerous
Robert Ng’ambi putting the ball just over the crossbar in the seventh
minute.
On the quarter-hour mark Dikwena created a great chance, with
Luvolwethu Mpeta providing a perfect low cross from the left for Solomon Mathe,
but the midfielder fluffed his shot with a clear sight of goal.
On the
half-hour mark it was Pirates who broke the deadlock. Daine Klate provided a
perfect cross into the penalty area from a free kick and Lekgwathi arrived to
glance home a header.
There were question marks as to whether he was
offside, but television replays showed his run came from deep and was perfectly
timed.
The first half came to an end with Klate firing wide of goal directly
from a free kick just outside the penalty area, leaving Bucs 1-0 up at the
break. The Soweto giants almost doubled their lead early in the second half, as
Klate’s low cross was turned toward his own goal by Mpeta, but Siyabonga
Mpontshane made a great save.
Stars coach Allan Freese made two attacking
changes by sending on Ngele and Mduduzi Nyanda past the hour mark, while Bucs
substitute Collins Mbesuma almost scored from a tight angle in the 73rd minute
but was denied by another fine Mpontshane save.
On 78 minutes Stars pulled
level at 1-1 with Ngele powering through a gap in the Bucs backline before
coolly chipping the ball over the advancing Senzo Meyiwa – despite a gallant
attempt at a tackle from Rooi Mahamutsa – to find the back of
the
net.
The Botswana international cemented his status as a Dikwena hero 10
minutes later when he crashed home the winning goal.
Lindokuhle Mbatha cut
inside from the left and set up the number 11, who struck a first-time,
left-footed shot into the top corner from 20 metres out, to finish 2-1.