Muziafera Blue Eagles were too strong for Muswodi Happy Fighters, whom they crushed 4-0 in their Gwede Mantashe Soccer Challenge match at the Makwarela Stadium on Sunday.

Fighters looked hopeless from the first whistle and their strikers showed no appetite for goals when they entered the opposition danger area.

Realizing that there was nothing to fear, Blue Eagles forgot about defending and attacked from the middle of the park. The strategy worked for them as they managed to open their account in the 14th minute. Hulani Mphephu headed home after the keeper of Fighters palmed the ball back into play while trying to clear it.

Happy Fighters lost cohesion in the middle of the park after conceding the goal. A breakdown in communication between their keeper and his defence gave rise to the Eagles’ second goal. Talifhani Muleya won a loose ball just outside the box and beat the keeper with a ground cutter, to make it 2-0 in the 25th minute.

Mukoma Mukhethwa of Eagles was the only player who went into the referee’s book before the teams adjourned for half time. His caution came after he tackled Helman Munzhelele from behind. Eagles continued to dominate proceedings in the last half. What would have been their third goal was ruled invalid as the scorer, Talifhani Muleya, was in the offside position.

That did not kill their fighting spirit as they continued to fight collectively, making things difficult for the boys from the Niani area in all departments. Fighters were reduced to 10 men when Tshedza Tshivhiahuvhi was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence in the 69th minute. That gave Blue Eagles a good chance to score two more goals via Trevor Mokase and Talifhani Muleya in the last 10 minutes of the game.