Kermit Erasmus scored a brace as Cape Town City ended a seven-game winless run in the Premiership with an easy 5-3 (half-time 3-1) victory over Polokwane City at Cape Town Stadium last night.
The Citizens’ first game without former head coach Benni McCarthy saw Vasili Manousakis acting as caretaker coach guide his charges to an emphatic win in front of a near empty stadium with the club’s fans maybe taking a stand after their favourite son Benni McCarthy was axed as coach on Sunday after managing two wins in 18 games.
But the few hundred that did turn up were treated to a great performance from their team and will be hoping for much of the same come Sunday’s away clash with Black Leopards, who had their number on the final day of last season.
City were just too slick and quick for Rise and Shine who have now lost four in a row to put pressure on their Serbian coach Zlatko Krmpotic with talk doing the rounds that his days are numbered.
The home side needed only six minutes to open their account through in-form striker Kermit Erasmus who scored the easiest of his six goals to date with a tap-in from close range after a neat ball from rightwing Riyaad Norodien running down the left side.
City were in complete control of proceedings and in the 12th minute doubled their lead after a power strike from Siphelele Mtembu for his first goal of the season. His shot from just inside the penalty area left goalkeeper George Chigova well beaten and wondering where his defensive line was once again.
The Limpopo Province-based side, who had lost their last three league games, had little ball for the first 15 minutes and only on a few occasions were able to advance into enemy territory. And it was on their third visit that they were able to catch the hosts’ defence out.
City’s defence has been below par leaking 16 goals so far, and this one netted by Charlton Mashumba was no exception. The striker was left alone to pull the trigger and easily beat Sage Stevens, who made it into the team after an injury suffered by first-choice shot-stopper Peter Leeuwenburgh in the previous game lost at home to Maritzburg United.
The hosts seemed to lose their grip on the game at this point and it allowed the opposition to stretch their legs in and around the red zone and come close to scoring on two occasions through first rightwing Vusimusi Mngomezulu and then Salulani Phiri, both shots flying over the crossbar. Polokwane would rue those missed chances before the break when Erasmus scored again in the second minute of referees added time.
Erasmus could have had a hat-trick five minutes after the restart but for a poor connection on the ball with his right boot that went low and wide of the target.
But City weren’t going to be denied more goals such was their total dominance in all aspects of the game as substitute Mpho Makola and leftback Edmilson Dove added their names to the score sheet in as many minutes.
Polokwane were leaving big gaps everywhere and appeared to lack the fight to make a fist of it, so a surprise when Charlton Mashumba bagged his hat-trick in the final five minutes.
City, who climb up two places to 11th on the log standings, have scored 18 goals in 10 games, the most in the division.