Polokwane - Polokwane City ended Milano United’s hopes of promotion into the Absa Premiership after second half goals from Sphesihle Nzimande and Thabo Rakhale handed them a 2-0 win over the Cape-based club on Sunday afternoon.
It was certainly not the most exciting game inside the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, but Polokwane did enough to pick up the win that sees them on seven points in the promotion/relegation mini-league playoff, four ahead of Black Leopards and consequently ended Milano’s promotion hopes.
To say this was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen wouldn’t be a far stretch from the truth, especially the first half.
The game was characterised by poor possession play from both teams, with neither able to build a sustained period of pressure due to some woeful passing and bad decision making in the final third.
There were only two significant chances on goal in the opening half, the first coming just after the half hour mark after a goalmouth scramble at a corner-kick saw Vukile Mngqibisa poke the ball goalwards from a couple of yards out, but his attempt cleared off the line by Taariq Fielies.
In the 36th minute a lapse in concentration by the Polokwane defence afforded Milano a good chance to score when Moegamat Jacobs met a deep cross from the right, but his 12-yard header went narrowly wide of the target.
The second half was a slightly more entertaining affair with Polokwane finally starting to string some passes together as they began mounting some pressure on the Milano goal.
The home side were rewarded for their efforts in the 68th minute when Nzimanded found the back of the net with a 14-yard volley after latching onto a right wing cross from Rakhale, 1-0.
Polokwane put the result beyond doubt ten minutes later when Rakhale found his side’s second goal with an efficient finish after being put in space 16-yards out from goal, 2-0.
Polokwane only need a point now in their last promotion/relegation game against Black Leopard son June 1 to ensure they stay in the Absa Premiership.
Polokwane City (0) 1 (Nzimande 68’, Rakhale78’)
Milano United (0) 0
Teams
Polokwane: Marumo, Molekwane, Tema, Mngqibisa, Tshilo, Sibande, Tloane, Moyana, Nzimande (Mthimkhulu 92’), Maluleke, Jembula (Rakhale 60’) (Mthimkhulu 92’)
Milano: Goldman, Robertson, Phete, Sait, Hendricks (Hills 46’), Fielies (Burds 79’), Theron, M. Jacobs, Motha (A. Jacobs 72’), Stellenboom, Stoffels
BACKPAGE MEDIA