Supersport boot Baroka FC out of Nedbank Cup

Baroka FC kissed the prestigious Nedbank Cup KO competition goodbye when they lost 0-2 to Supersport United in their semifinal match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday evening.

The home side nearly grabbed an early goal just a minute into the game, but Jeremy Brockie’s close-range shot was well saved by Baroka’s keeper, Oscarine Masuluke.  After surviving the early scare, Baroka pushed forward in their search for an early goal. In the 18^th minute, their overlapping midfielder, Nkosinathi Ndlovu, missed the target without troubling the Supersport keeper, Ronwen Williams.

Baroka went on knocking on the opposition's door and their left flank, Ayanda Jwara, connected a cross inside the Matsatsantsa box in the 25^th minute, but his header went over the crossbar. That was a wake-up call to Supersport, as they threatened to score in the 39^th minute, when Brockie’s ground cutter was cleared by Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali for a corner kick.

Two minutes before the half-time break, Supersport's winger, Thuso Phala, had the opportunity to break the deadlock when his effort from close range narrowly missed the target. Matsatsantsa took the lead two minutes after the restart when Bradley Grobler finished off a cross from Brockie.

It took Superport five minutes to increase the margin. Thuso Phala completed his brace after a great pass from Brockie in the 54^th minute. Baroka’s head coach, Mr Kgokolo Thobejane, responded by introducing Thabiso Kutumela for Lala Ntsoane.

With nine minutes remaining, Matsatsantsa’s New Zealand midfielder, Brockie, pulled the trigger from close range, but his name could not be recorded on the score sheet as his volley went inches wide. Donald Makondelela was unlucky in the dying minutes of the game when his shot was palmed away by the Supersport keeper, Ronwen Williams.

Superport will meet Orlando Pirates in the final at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane next Saturday, 28 May.

Sport - Date: 20 May 2016

Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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