THOHOYANDOU – Black Leopards made it three league wins in a row under new coach Dylan Kerr after seeing off SuperSport United 2-0 at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
While Kaitano Tembo's Matsatsantsa made a fight of it in the second stanza, the home team posed a big threat in the first half and Kerr would have been really disappointed that they didn't take a lead into the break.
However, it to prove inconsequential as Zambian striker Mwape Musonda secured maximum points for the Limpopo team with a 53rd-minute penalty and another goal in the 88th minute.
The first clear-cut opening arrived after just seven minutes, but having beaten the offside trap, Lifa Hlongwane tried to square the ball for a team-mate - despite only being eight yards out from goal.
Lidoda Duvha continued to play some enterprising football and looked by far the livelier side, but on too many occasions their end product was found wanting.
Another illustration of Leopards' wastefulness came in the 37th minute; after a lovely flowing move, Hlongwane pulled the ball back for Tshwarelo Bereng, who with the goal at his mercy and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams down on the ground, ballooned his shot well over the net.
SuperSport had barely tested the home team's defence in the first half, but they could well have taken the lead a minute after the restart after Jamie Webber's corner picked out Grant Kekana, but the latter missed the target from a great position.
However, the opening goal was to go the way of Lidoda Duvha, as Musonda blasted home a 53rd-minute spot-kick after Bereng's shot had been handled inside the box by Kekana.
It could have been 2-0 two minutes later when Bereng combined sublimely with Karabo Tshepe, but the latter's cross-come-shot flew just past the post.
The Pretoria side were clearly not at their best, yet worked hard to try and get back into the game, and it took a fantastic diving save by home keeper King Ndlovu to keep out Aubrey Modiba's 75th minute free kick, before James Keene wasted a gilt-edged chance soon after when he steered a header wide.
Any hopes of a comeback for the visitors, who have now claimed only a point from their last three league outings, were dashed two minutes before the end of regulation time when Bereng surged forward and slid a pass in for Musonda, who finished clinically at the near post.
Musonda could have completed his hat-trick two minutes later but planted the ball wide from only six-yards out.