POLOKWANE – SuperSport United made hard work of beating a spirited Polokwane City after running out 3-2 winners in a league encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday evening.
Stuart Baxter saw his team twice taking the lead, only to allow Rise and Shine back into the game each time, before Thuso Phala grabbed a 77th-minute winner.
SuperSport were off to the perfect start when Morgan Gould powered home a header from Tebogo Mokoena’s perfectly placed cross before a minute was even on the clock.
The Tshwane team remained on top and were close to scoring a second five minutes later, but Polokwane keeper George Chigova did well to tip Jeremy Brockie’s shot around the post.
The hosts began to get themselves back into the game, and they levelled matters just before the half-hour mark when Tshepo Tema sent in a thumping header at the far post following Simphiwe Hlongwane’s inviting cross.
The home side then went close to taking the lead two minutes before the break when Rodney Ramagalela beat the offside trap, but SuperSport keeper Ronwen Williams did well to intervene before Vusimuzi Mngomezulu fired wide on the follow-up.
Shout out to Teboho Mokoena for winning the man of the match award #AbsaPrem pic.twitter.com/dVOtTxggJg
— SuperSport United FC (@SuperSportFC) May 6, 2017
After a tense opening to the second half, SuperSport were to reclaim the lead in the 57th minute via a sensational volley from Brockie.
The New Zealand international curled a left-footed volley into the top corner from a very tight angle.
The visitors from Pretoria allowed Polokwane City back into the game when Mngomezulu beat Williams after Dean Furman had lost the ball to Jabu Maluleke.
However, Matsatsantsa took the lead for the final time 13 minutes before the end when Reneilwe Letsholonyane slipped a sublime pass for Phala, who finished clinically into the bottom corner of the net.
Williams made an acrobatic save to stop Edgar Manaka from heading in an equaliser, while at the other end, Brockie struck the woodwork.