Basel FC were too good for Phungo All Stars when they beat them 2-1 in a Nedbank Cup match at the Eltivillas grounds on Saturday.

Stars were good at the far back, but their midfielders hesitated for too long and did not release the ball on time. This sloppy performance put their defence under tremendous pressure.

The boys from Tshilivho-Hamakhuvha initiated some promising moves from the centre of the pitch but were denied a number of scoring opportunities by the rock-solid defence of their opponents.

Tshifhiwa Mmboi of Basel was lucky to escape with a verbal warning after kicking Hulisani Mathusa. Llewellyn Makita of Basel scored his team’s first goal in the 34th minute. Stars came back strongly, but the keeper of Basel, Tshifhiwa Ramatsea, denied them a goal when he fisted Vuyani Mateu's volley away. The visitors increased the margin in the 40th minute via former Black Leopards striker Walter Ramulondi, making the half-time score2-0 in favour of Basel.

Players who went to the referee’s book for different infringements are Dion Phiri and Tondani Nkhumeleni of Stars and Richardt Khoma of Basel.

Mahlatsi Moloto of Stars forced his way through the defence of the opponents and released a rocket from outside the box to reduce the deficit by one. As if he were a spectator, Tshifhiwa Ramatsea watched the ball hit the net without making any attempt to clear the ball.