BAROKA BRUSH ASIDE AMAZULU
Baroka FC brushed aside AmaZulu 2-0 in an Absa Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The win takes Bakgaga to sixth spot on the league standings, while Usuthu remain 14th on the table.
The match got off to a lively start as the two sides searched for an early goal and it was the home side, who broke the deadlock seven minutes into game.
Mduduzi Mdantsane made it three goals in as many league games when he beat AmaZulu goalkeeper Siyabonga Mbatha to make it 1-0 to Baroka.
However, the hosts were forced to make an early charge as Lucky Nguzana went down injured and he was replaced by Rethabile Soso.
Usuthu managed to gain control of the match and Mhlengi Cele forced Baroka goalkeeper Virgil Vries into a decent save at the near-post in the 34th minute.
Cele then missed the target from close range just before halftime and almost immediately at the other end, AmaZulu keeper Siyabonga Mbatha denied Baroka’s Goodman Mosele.
The score was 1-0 to Baroka at the interval following a lively first-half in the city of Polokwane.
Gift Motupa, who has scored five league goals for Bakgaga this season, was introduced by the hosts at the beginning of the second-half.
Ovidy Karuru had a chance to level matters for Usuthu a few minutes after the restart, but the winger missed the target.
Vries was called into action in the 71st minute and he pushed away Jabulani Ncobeni’s curling corner-kick as Usuthu pushed for a goal.
Bakgaga nearly doubled their lead against the run of play when Richard Matloga was denied by Mbatha and Talent Chawapiwa hit the crossbar from the rebound.
However, the hosts did double their lead when Orlando Pirates loanee Motupa scored to make it 2-0 to Baroka following a quick counter attack in the 78th minute.
Mpho Kgaswane should have extended Baroka’s lead in stoppage time, but he was brilliantly denied by Mbatha and ultimately, the hosts emerged 2-0 winners over AmaZulu.
Baroka (1) 2 (Mdantsane 7′, Motupa 78′)
AmaZulu (0) 0
Baroka: Vries, Shaku, Mohwatseleng, Chawapihwa, Matloga, Kgoetyane, Nguzana (Soso 25′ Kgaswane 68′), Banda, Mosele, Mdantsane, Ngalande (Motupa 49′).
AmaZulu: Mbatha S, Sikhakhane (Nomvethe 66′), Mabiliso, Gumede M, Nyongo, Ncube, Darpoh (Ramphele 65′), Ncobeni, Karuru, Ntsundwana (Manzini 46′).
