Benni McCarthy, head coach of Cape Town City (Chris Ricco/BackpagePix)
“We were naive, sloppy, fancy and disrespected our rivals at times. Spectators are crying for goals and we should have scored more today,” lamented the coach who turns 41 on Monday.
After winning their season-opener in August, McCarthy, a 2004 UEFA Champions League winner with Porto, saw his side go seven league matches without a victory.
Cape Town defeated AmaZulu 3-0 to end the woeful run and clinched victory over Leopards through an 85th-minute Siphelele Mthembu header.
Ayanda Patosi and Allan Kateregga netted for Cape Town in the opening half either side of a goal from Zambian Musonda Mwape for Leopards.
While City climbed three places to eighth — 10 points behind leaders Orlando Pirates with three games in hand — Leopards remained third from bottom with only two wins from 11 outings.
Polokwane City stayed seventh after riding their luck to force a 0-0 away draw against bottom club AmaZulu in Durban.
AmaZulu, who had six points deducted by FIFA for not honouring the contract of a former player, attacked relentlessly and were denied once by the woodwork.
A Polokwane team coached by Slovak Jozef Vukusic had a chance to snatch all three points in stoppage time only to blaze a free-kick just outside the penalty area over the bar.
The Premiership is the richest national league in Africa with a 10 million rand ($700,000/615,000 euros) prize for the champions.
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