Grobler joins PSL 100-goal club as SuperSport rout Maritzburg

Bradley Grobler joined the greats of South African strikers on Friday night against Maritzburg United when he scored his 100th goal across all Premier Soccer League competitions.

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The goal also helped Matsatsantsa a Pitori beat The Team of Choice 2-0 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

In the 79th minute, Grobler stood over a penalty for SuperSport, and while goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner tied to spoil Grobler’s night when he saved the penalty kick, the veteran striker scored from the rebound to make sure that he joins the likes of Siyabonga Nomvethe, Mabhuti Khanyeza, Emmanuel “Tico-Tico” Bucuane, Collins Mbesuma and Daniel “Mambush” Mudau, who have all banged in over 100 goals in the PSL.

Before Grobler’s centenary celebration, there were a couple of chances earlier on in the game, with Wade Jooste’s early freekick asking questions from Gavin Hunt’s defence as the ball went right through the wall, forcing goalkeeper Ricardo Goss to make a save.

Although the danger was extinguished, Goss’ save looked like an uncomfortable one as he could not hold on to it and had to see the ball land in the path of a Maritzburg attacker. However, the second bite was not potent as the ball was struck wide off the mark.

In the opposite end, the man in the middle, Cedric Muvhali, failed to spot a clear handball by a Maritzburg player, who handled the ball in the box in an effort to clear a SuperSport attack. Patrick Maswanganyni played in a cross from the right, finding Thamsanqa Gabuza, whose header was stopped illegally. However, the referee waved play on, much to the frustration of Hunt and his team.

Hunt’s first substitute came in the way of Gabuza making way for the pacey Gamphani Lungu. The Zimbabwean international took some time before he got his engine revved up, but once he was up and running, he was a menace down on the right for Maritzburg defenders.

Lungu was the one who instigated the move that led to SuperSport’s goal when he played a cross into the box, and it proved too powerful for Maritzburg’s defenders to deal with it as the ball landed on Keagan Johannes’ alley, and the youngster made no mistake and slotted past Leaner in the 69th minute to break the deadlock.

10 minutes later Grobler made it 2-0 for SuperSport from the penalty spot and put the game beyond Maritzburg’s reach.

In their next assignment, Matsatsantsa A Pitori will host another KwaZulu-Natal outfit in Golden Arrows, who are looking to make it into the top eight.

Meanwhile, Davids’ team will welcome Eric Tinkler’s Cape Town City.