Leopards fall deeper into relegation trouble after La Masia loss

If not La Masia then who is the question Black Leopards will have to ask themselves.

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This is after Leopards suffered a bad 2-0 loss to La Masia in a Motsepe Foundation Championship match at Wits Stadium.

Like Leopards, La Masia have not had a good season in the Championship and both sides needed wins. 

However, the home side La Masia settled quicker in the game and made repeated entries into the Leopards box. 

And they could have taken the lead just under 10 minutes into the game but an effort from Mogamat May hit the post.

They had a few attempts after that but still could not make anything of their attacks until the 24th minute. 

La Masia were awarded a penalty after Sanele Zulu fouled Kefiloe Mojaki. Tshepo Matsemela took the spot kick and converted. 

The Gauteng side could have got a second after that but Jackson Mabokgwane was able to organise his defence and made some telling saves. 

Lidoda Duvha also had their moments going in attack but they just could not find the right balls in the final third. 

Leopards came back for the second half a better and more determined team and pushed for an equaliser. 

Missed chances for both sides

And their biggest chance came in the 55th minute when an effort from the right ricocheted off a La Masia defender and fell for Matimu Tshabalala. 

The attacker however hurried his effort and it sailed agonisingly over the bar. Had he taken a little more time, he could have done better with the shot. 

And just when Leopards would have thought they could find a way back, they conceded again. 

It was Zulu who was unlucky again, this time diverting a La Masia cross into his own net in the 68th minute. 

The loss leaves Leopards rooted to the bottom of the Championship standings with just 13 points after 17 games. 

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This means they have 13 games to turn things around, otherwise they will go the way other former elite sides like Jomo Sono and Santos have gone before them. 

It is Leopards’ second season in a row that they are languishing in the wrong end of the league. They survived by the skin of their teeth last term. 

The win gave La Masia some relief as they moved to 11th place with 18 points after 17 games.