JOHANNESBURG – Cape Town City paid the ultimate penalty and lost ground near the top of the league table as they crashed to a 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-log Free State Stars in a Premiership match at Goble Park in Bethlehem on Wednesday night.
After a goalless first half, striker Thokozani Sekotlong scored his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 78th minute after City defender Robyn Johannes had fouled Stars midfielder Danny Venter.
City goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters was the busier of the two goalkeepers on the night, with the visiting defence never at ease against the likes of Venter, Sekotlong and Moeketsi Sekola.
The visitors took to the field without their influential midfielder and captain Lebogang Manyama, who is under suspension. His quality passing and attacking flair, not to mention an eye for goal (eight goals this season), was sorely missed.
The Telkom Knockout Cup champions, who remain on 25 points from 15 matches, would have fancied their chances of inflicting more trauma on the hosts, who have been in panic mode ever since their club franchise was allegedly sold to a Gauteng-based consortium in pre-season, only for the deal to fall through at the last minute. In the process, five of Stars’ key players were sold.
The win was sweet revenge for the Free State side, who were thrashed 4-1 by City in a Telkom Knockout Cup quarter-final fixture at the Athlone Stadium on November 26.
The valuable three points have given the home side a lifeline at the wrong end of the table as they moved to 14 points from 15 games ahead of Highlands Park (13 points from 15 matches) and Baroka FC (12 points from 14), who will host Mamelodi Sundowns in Limpopo on Thursday.
Both Stars and City will have much to think about on the long break before they both resume league action on February 7. Stars will play away to Kaizer Chiefs, while City will host Highlands Park.