CAPE TOWN – SuperSport United consolidated their third place on the PSL Absa Premiership log with a 3-0 win over visiting Chippa United at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville, Pretoria, on Friday evening.
Chippa came into the match in 10th position but this defeat could mean they will drop one or two places down the table, depending on the results elsewhere in the country.
SuperSport held the initiative from the outset and were penetrative but were out of touch with their front-runners and consequently the Chippa defence were not tested.
In the opening 18 minutes, SuperSport forced two corners but the set-pieces were easily cleared by a compact Chippa defence.
SuperSport's best first-half chance emerged in the 10th minute when they lobbed a 35m free-kick over the Chippa defence but their goalkeeper Veli Mothwa gathered safely after the opposition strikers pounced on the bouncing ball.
Chippa managed to strike cohesion on attack in the latter part of the first half when they set off on several raids mostly down the middle, but they too could not link up with their strikers in the final third.
In the 39th minute, Bradley Grobler scored a penalty – his 9th goal of the season (in all competitions) after Chippa's Sandile Mthethwa was blown up for a handball, plumb front of his goal (1-0).
Brace for @Bradley_Grobler sees him bag the man of the match award 👏⚽️ #ForTheBadge #AbsaPrem pic.twitter.com/dCSrjpbIkC
— SuperSport United FC (@SuperSportFC) January 24, 2020
On the stroke of halftime, Chippa had an excellent chance to equalise but Tercious Malepe struck a free-kick over the crossbar, from just outside the opposition penalty area.
Both teams displayed a far greater sense of urgency when second-half play started and after 10 minutes each side had created at least one scoring chance, but the defences held out to avert danger.
Just past the hour mark, Mothwa came to Chippa's rescue by holding on to a superb header by Thamsanqa Gabuza at a time when Chippa's defence showed signs of cracking under pressure.
Three minutes later Grobler broke down Chippa's defence with a well-placed shot through a packed goalmouth and the unsighted Mothwa was left stranded between the posts (2-0).
Around the 70th minute mark, Chippa forced two corners in quick succession but failed to capitalise.
There was more woe for Chippa when SuperSport converted a half-chance three minutes later when Luke Fleurs rose high to score with a header. It was Fleurs' first goal for SuperSport.
By this time the match was over as a contest but there was no lack of effort on either side as the match wound to its close, although Chippa came closest to scoring – they failed to convert a penalty in the final minute.