PSL Round-up Week 5

Week 5  saw goalless draws, one-all draws, three-nil thrashings and two-nil spankings.

Friday’s games

Wits recovered from back-to-back defeats (one in the PSL, one in the MTN8) and inhumanely slaughtered the ‘Birds’ 3-0. Getaneh Kedebe scored the opener, and his first of the night, off a corner in the 18th minute. Swallow’s luck went from bad to worse when Nomvethe and Chabangu were subbed due to injury. Kedebe showed Swallows no mercy and headed the ball in off a beautiful cross from Toriq Losper. Sameehg Dautie then scored from a free kick from a fair distance away. Wits have moved back to third on the log and Swallows are nipping at their heels in fourth.

Chippa United really looked like they would beat their former neighbours and claim a surprise win, but then Thabiso Nkoana came off the bench. He scored just on the stroke of time in the 90th minute, nine minutes after Chippa’s opener. Chippa’s goal was scored by Mxolisi Ntshingila. Ajax remain second and Chippa remain near the bottom in 13th.

Saturday’s games

Free State Stars drew one-all against Maritzburg United in Bethlehem. Maritzburg hit first when Kwanda Mngonyama scored in the second minute. Then Maritzburg seemed to rest on their laurels and became somewhat inconsequential while Stars tried to find the net. Stars seemed to have a problem with their aim, with several shots going just wide of goal. They eventually managed to equalise in the second half when Moeketsi Sekola scored in the 56th. Maritzburg then realised that the game was still on on and started playing again. Both teams searched for a winning goal, but alas, it remained elusive. Maritzburg are sixth with Stars within spitting distance in seventh.

Pirates annihilated Polokwane 3-0. The opening goal came in the 31st minute when Kermit Erasmus blasted one in from the edge of the penalty area. Two minutes later Mpho Makola scored from inside the box. The final goal came just four minutes from time when a mistake from Thapelo Tshilo allowed Lehlohonolo Majoro to score. Daine Klate botched his chance to add a fourth when his free kick from the edge of the penalty area curled wide. Pirates have made the top five, in fifth, and Polokwane dropped to 13th.

Amakhosi remain on top, winning 2-0 against a struggling SuperSport United. Kaitano Tembo, who took over after Cavin Johnson’s ousting made four changes to SuperSport’s starting line-up; changes that were ultimately in vain. After a lot of back-and-forth in the first half, the opening goal came in the 63rd minute when Mandla Masango scored his third goal of the season. Kingston Nkhatha added another eight minutes later, scoring from Letsholonyane’s mistimed attempt. Chiefs are still the CEOs at the top, while SuperSport are scrubbing toilets at second last.

Tuks travelled to Mbombela to play Aces. The result was a rather disappointing goalless draw. Thanks to Tuks’ Washington Arubi and Aces’ Energy Munyambando duetting to”anything you can do, I can do better” in goal, the game did not lack action. Just goals. Mostly due to the fact that the forwards seemed to lack a sense of direction and they missed the goal entirely. Tuks and Aces are 11th and 12th respectively.

Sunday’s games

Sundowns beat AmaZulu 2-0 at Loftus. In cricket there is the term, “bunny.” A batsman who always gets bowled out by the same bowler is that bowler’s bunny. AmaZulu is Sundowns’ bunny.  Sundowns can always count on AmaZulu to mess up. In 60 per cent of all match-ups featuring these two, Sundowns have won. A further 25 per cent of the time they drew. That means that 85 per cent of the time AmaZulu are incapable of beating Sundowns. This win then was not really an achievement, but more of a foregone conclusion. Cuthbert Malajila scored in the 60th and 67th minute. AmaZulu are dead last for the second week in a row and Sundowns have made it back to the top half of the log in eighth.

Platinum Stars hosted Celtic for a drab goalless draw. Both teams seemed to be channelling our national team, in that they had an attacking game plan, but it all fell apart in front of goal. Either the attempts at goal went wide of the posts, over the crossbar or straight to the goalie. Parker and Modise might not have been there in the flesh, but they were certainly there in spirit. It was a dreadfully dull game. Stars and Celtic deservedly drop to ninth and tenth respectively.