SUPERSPORT THUMP GOLDEN ARROWS
SuperSport United bounced back to winning ways in emphatic style as they thumped Golden Arrows 3-0 in an Absa Premiership clash at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Tuesday evening.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane’s opener followed by a double from Aubrey Modiba in what was a thrilling match in the Mpumalanga province.
The hosts made their intentions clear from the onset with Jeremy Brockie sending a dipping effort on target with 20 seconds on the clock.
Nkosingiphile Gumede was called into action again soon after with the burly goal-minder getting down well to deny Thuso Phala from an acute angle in the fourth minute, before Modiba saw his follow up shot offer the crossbar.
Chances continued to come at a rapid pace with Arrows joining the action in the eighth minute.
Knox Mutizwa unable to make the hosts pay after pouncing on a defensive error – the forward guiding his looping shot over the crossbar with Ronwen Williams having rushed off his line in an attempt to unsettle the Zimbabwean.
When presented with a similar opportunity in the 24th minute, SuperSport made no mistake. Brockie teeing up Letsholonyane who was left with the easiest of finishes to give Matsatsantsa the lead.
SuperSport continued to dictate the tempo and duly doubled their lead on the cusp of halftime. Modiba quickest to react after Gumede spilled Bradley Grobler’s header from close range, as the hosts headed for the tunnel at the interval in command and in control.
The hosts continued their assault following break and were only denied a third by Gumede who made a brilliant save to keep out Richard Boateng’s powerful shot.
Modiba completed his brace on 53 minutes with the defender-come-midfielder latching onto a through ball by Brockie before firing a low drive into the back of the net from the edge of the area.
Grobler was unlucky not to get his name on the score-sheet with the forward seeing his rasping effort canon off the woodwork in the 82nd minute.
It mattered little, though, as SuperSport saw out the rest of the game in relative ease as they subsequently move up to 10th place on the log standings – they have only played five league fixtures this season due to their run to the 2017 CAF Confederations Cup final.
Arrows remain in second spot following their maiden defeat of the season.
SuperSport United (1) 3 (Letsholonyane 24′ Modiba 44′ 53′)
Golden Arrows (0) 0
SuperSport United:
Golden Arrows: jGumede, Nkombelo, Mzava, Mngwengwe, Dube – Bilankulu – Magubane (Shongwe 57′), Mahachi, Sibiya (Chideu 46′ [Lamola 74′]), Jooste – Mutizwa
