Stellenbosch FC booked their spot in the semifinals of the Carling Knockout Cup this week, following a pragmatic 2-0 win over Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday night.
Courtesy of two clinical efforts by Iqraam Rayners and Devon Titus in the first-half, Stellebosch overcame a spirited Rise and Shine outfit on away soil.
Stellenbosch looked lively during the opening stages of the encounter and took the game to Polokwane City straight after the referee’s whistle. As a result of their early pressure, the travelling outfit took the lead in the 7th minute as Rayners opened the scoresheet at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
After incisive interplay on the edge of the Polokwane City penalty area, Rayners latched on to a square ball across the six-yard box to give his side a well-deserved lead.
Stellies continued to see most of the ball after taking the lead and actively searched for their second goal of the match. Their moment arrived in the 16th minute, when Devin Titus joining Rayners on the goal scorers list. Following a lapse in concentration inside the Polokwane City half, Sage Stephens found Titus with a lob into the area as the attacker made sure to guide the ball into the back.
Rise and Shine struggled to get into the encounter after conceding their second-goal as Stellenbosch proved to be a tough nut to crack defensively. Nevertheless, Stellenbosch did enough to see out the half with their 2-0 lead intact.
Much like that of the first half, Stellenbosch maintained their shape and discipline in defensive situations as Polokwane City saw large portions of the ball after the restart.
With an hour on the clock, Stellies continued to control the game as Jayden Adams and Genino Palace pulled the strings in the middle of the park. Despite the away side’s control, Polokwane City produced a number of notable scoring opportunities, only to be denied by aggressive defending by the Stellenbosch backline.
As the 75th minute approached, Rise and Shine began to boss the possession count but battled to make the most of their opportunities while penning the away side in their own half.
The direct ball appeared to be Polokwane City’s bread and butter during the closing stages of the match, while the Cape Winelands side looked to hit the home side on the break.
Nevertheless, Stellenbosch did enough to see out the game and subsequently booked their spot in the semifinals of the Carling Knockout Cup.
Polokwane City: (0) 0
Stellenbosch: (2) 2 (Rayners 7’, Titus 16’)
Polokwane City: Sapunga, Matuludi, Nikani (Baloyi 12’), Nkaki, Ndlovu, Maphangule, Appollis, Mabena, Mashikinya (Marema 63’), Ramabu (Goovadia 63’), Chauke (Raphadu 82’)
Stellenbosch: Stephens, Basadien, Mcaba, Moloisane, van Rooyen, Adams, Nduli, Palace (Matsheke 73’), Sekgota (Mgaga 65’), Titus (Boji 84’), Rayners
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