- 12 SEP 2020
Black Leopards secured a 3-1 win over Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the PSL promotional/relegation playoffs match at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The victory saw Lidoda Duvha open a three points gap at the top of the playoffs standings, while Vhadau Vha Damani remained at the bottom without a single point.
The match got off to a lively start and it was Vhadau Vha Damani, who got the first shot on target through their targetman Naeem Amoojee in the 17th minute.
The attacker found some space outside the Leopards box and he unleashed a powerful shot which was well saved by goalkeeper King Ndlovu.
Lidoda Duvha then took control of the match and Tiklas Thutlwa missed a sitter after dribbling through the Tshakhuma defence, before firing wide from close range.
The visitors did break the deadlock in the 20th minute when Thutlwa’s corner-kick was headed home by Mwape Musonda to make it 1-0 to Leopards.
Tshakhuma came back rejuvenated following a cooling break and they managed to restore parity to Thembisani Nevhulamba in the 44th minute.
The former Leopards striker scored with a low finish from Molibedi Mokoena’s delightful cut-back pass to make it 1-1 with the Lidoda Duvha defence exposed.
However, the hosts went to sleep at the back a minute later and they were punished by Kabelo Masiya, who netted from Thutlwa’s corner-kick to make it 1-1 heading into the halftime break.
Tshakhuma coach Lucky Nelukau introduced Tommy Mandlazi prior to the start of the second-half as the hosts looked to level matters.
The 28-year-old player had grabbed two assists for Vhadau Vha Damani as they succumbed to a narrow defeat to Ajax Cape Town in their opening game of the playoffs.
Nelukau’s men pilled pressure on Leopards, but they could not seriously test Ndlovu in the visitors’ goal-posts as they were frustrated by the Lidoda Duvha defence.
Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo had a chance to test Ndlovu in the 78th minute, but the diminutive attacker placed his effort over the crossbar.
Vhadau Vha Damani upped the tempo in the closing stages of the match Mandlazi forced Ndlovu into a brilliant low save with nine minutes left on the clock.
Tebogo Thangwane’s acrobatic effort was headed onto the crossbar by Mumuni Abubakar in the last minute of the match and Leopards cleared their lines.
Nevertheless, Musonda sealed Leopards’ 3-1 win over Tshakhuma when he netted with a header from a corner-kick in stoppage-time.
Tshakhuma (1) 1 (Nevhulamba 44′)
Leopards (2) 3 (Musonda 20′, 90’+3, Masia 45′)
Tshakhuma: Mamudzidi, Mashele, Mabotja, Nyadombo, Thangwane, Amoojee, Mbandlwa (Mandlazi 46′), Hlongo (Khumalo 30′), Ndlondlo, Mokoena (Makhubu 77′), Nevhulamba.
Leopards: K.Ndlovu, Mudau (Ndawonde 84′), Zulu, Masia, Ndou, Abubakar, Ng’ambi (T.Ndlovu 67′), Thutlwa (X.Ndlovu 84′), Matlaba, Makgetlwa (Mokoena 63′), Musonda.© Backpage TXT.
SOURCED FROM THE PSL WEBSITE.
