SuperSport keep up the pace with Chiefs after beating Highlands
There is no better way to mark a return to the starting line-up, after almost a year on the sidelines, than getting onto the score-sheet and SuperSport United’s Thabo Mnyamane did exactly that when he opened the scoring against Highlands Park last night.
Thabo Mnyamane celebrates with his teammates Aubrey Modiba,Grant Kekana of Supersport United during the CAF Confederations Cup match between Supersport United and Petro de Luanda at Lucas Moripe Stadium on March 16, 2018 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
The temperatures around the country were quite low and most of the land was wet but Matsatsantsa A Pitori and the Lions of the North turned up the heat at the Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville where SuperSport won 2-0 and narrowed Kaizer Chiefs’ lead at the top of the Absa Premiership to seven points – a gap which Amakhosi can extend later tonight when they host Bloemfontein Celtic at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The 27-year-old Mnyamane has been struggling with injuries for the past two years and his coach Kaitano Tembo said this is the longest that Mnyamane has managed to stay fit. Mnyamane was the right place at the right time to finish off a well-worked move forward which was instigated by Mokoena in midfield and the national Under-23 and Bafana Bafana player was the one who provided the assist and all Mnyamane had to do was to tap in from close range to bag his maiden league goal in two seasons.
Tembo then decided to withdraw the goal-scorer around the hour mark as he seemed to be struggling to keep up with the tempo of the fast-paced game. In his place, Tembo introduced the versatile Aubrey Modiba but Modiba’s night ended on a sad note as he had to be stretchered off the pitch when he sustained an injury in the final five minutes. Youngster Khanyisile Mayo took his place.
In the opposite dugout, Highlands coach Owen Da Gama was forced to withdraw goalkeeper Marlon Heugh in the first stanza because the shot-stopper could not recover from a knock he picked up early earlier. Thela Ngobeni had to strap up and put on his gloves as he made a comeback to team following his three-game absence from the sticks.
Ngobeni did well to stop most of United’s attempts but he was eventually beaten by a bolting strike by striker Bradley Grobler in the 72nd minute who found his scoring touch after misfiring for seven games. Grobler’s goal was his fifth in the Absa Premiership.
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