Humiliating defeat for Joe’s

A cloud of sadness is hanging over the camp of Joe’s Express, after they lost 0-2 to Blue Rocks in their Safa Second Division League match at the Makwarela Stadium on Saturday.

The home side had nobody else but themselves to blame for the defeat as they could have sealed the game in the first half. Their strikers, Edwin Ramphabana and Dzivhuluwani Simba, were unlucky. Ramphabana received a pre-cooked pass from Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali and his ground cutter hit the side netting.

Dzivhuluwani Simba missed a fortune a little later. Instead of chipping the ball or trying other possible ways, he shot aimlessly from close range. The ball went far wide.

Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali of Express was booked for dangerous play in the 19th minute. He tackled Thabang Malatjie with the studs of his soccer boots up. Rotshidzwa Muleka, Express’s keeper, was also booked for wasting time towards the end of the first half. No goal was seen during the first half.

The hosts fortified their defence by introducing Thinavhuyo Mashau for Thanyani Netshipale early in the last half. The replacement was not good enough to stop the visitors from Tzaneen from opening their account in the 57th minute. They were awarded a free kick just outside the box after Lucky Lebea was tackled from behind.

The referee, Mr Roy Mulaudzi, flashed another yellow card, this time to Vincent Hlungwani of Blue Rocks, in the 64th minute. He handled the ball intentionally. Joe’s Express effected another change to their starting lineup. They sacrificed their vastly experienced striker, Edwin “Cafu” Ramphabana, for Nndateni “Chilly” Netshitadi.

Blue Rocks increased the margin through Letsoalo Magoro. He beat the offside trap and blasted in a rocket from the edge of the box. At that stage, the keeper of Express, Rotshidzwa Muleka, was already out of the penalty area in a bid to save the situation. Alpheus Ramolepo of Blue Rocks was booked for ignoring the referee’s whistle shortly before full time.

Sport - Date: 04 April 2014

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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