Black Saturday for Leopards

Black Leopards are still in a state of shock, following their 0-2 defeat at the hands of University of Pretoria in their NFD League match at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday.

The home side enjoyed ball possession from the onset and yet failed to find the net. On the other hand, the students from the capital city played defensive football and relied mostly on counterattacks.

Leopards’ slender striker, Ivan Mahangwahaya, was out of form from the onset, but the team’s technical staff kept him in the field of play until the proceedings for the first half came to an end. Leopards’ Zambian fast forward, Mwape Musonda, was tightly marked and could not live up to the fans’ expectations.  The only time Musonda threatened to score was when he shot wide from close range after receiving a neat pass from Siphelele Mkhulise in the 24^th minute.

Realizing that Mahangwahaya was harmless, they replaced him with Roggert Nyundu two minutes into the last half. Nyundu tried everything within his power to penetrate through the defence of the Amatuks, but it was clearly not his day.

Amatuks effected the first change to their starting lineup when they replaced Ian Chokohwa with Chemon Peterson in the 58^th minute. They received a free kick outside the penalty box after Zukile Mkhize was brought down. Jessie Jackson beat the Leopards’ keeper, Avhashoni Tshinuna, with a volley from the set piece.

Leopards later replaced Mwape Musonda and Khayelihle Shozi with Tebogo Reed and Meshack Maphangule respectively. That did not stop the visitors from scoring their second goal via Chemon Peterson, who finished off Shane Poggenpoel’s square pass.  The scorer of Tuks’ opening goal, Jessie Jackson, was warned with a card for wasting time in the 78^th minute.

Sport - Date: 20 October 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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