League

Mpungutyana
Spectators: 6860 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1860, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Francis Patel started the match with the kick off. In the 4th minute, Siphokazi Madima got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. After 5 minutes, Akil Fredericks mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Qwakazana and the Mpungutyana players grew even worse after the yellow card. The supporters of Mpungutyana booed when Qwakazana was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 5 match minutes in a wonderful position. Akil Fredericks didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 8th minute, Francis Patel got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Ebrahim Tshabalala showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Harry Collins in the 15th minute of the match. Siphokazi Madima fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nazeer Mandela having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Terence Mkhonza in the 18th minute of play forced Qwakazana's goalkeeper Nazeer Mandela to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Harry Collins had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 21st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. When Aubrey Patel fell near the penalty area in the 22nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Mpungutyana's protests and gave Aubrey Patel a yellow card for diving instead. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 22nd minute of the game. One of Mpungutyana:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Qwakazana:s goal. Lindo Pretorius shot the penalty kick by force right in the crossbar. No goal. Qwakazana's Nazeer Mandela played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Terence Mkhonza in the 27th minute of play. Justice Tshabalala could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 34th minute of the match, but Nazeer Mandela made a huge save. In the 34th minute, Lungie Dube hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Francis Patel sent away a hard shot on goal in the 38th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Siphokazi Madima had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The first half was very even, with the score at 0-0 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

An unexpectedly hard shot by Terence Mkhonza in the 55th minute of play forced Qwakazana's goalkeeper Nazeer Mandela to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 56th minute Terence Mkhonza shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nazeer Mandela saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Qwakazana's Harry Collins got a good chance for a goal in the 58th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 61 minutes into the game, Francis Patel lined in a short shot 0-1 behind a frustrated Ebrahim Tshabalala. Francis Patel fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 66th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ebrahim Tshabalala having to interfere. Qwakazana's Nazeer Mandela played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Justice Tshabalala in the 71st minute of play. Ebrahim Tshabalala didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Francis Patel went, in the 79th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-2 was the resulting score. In a very dangerous position, a player in Mpungutyana fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 83rd minute. Penalty! After a defensive mix-up in Mpungutyana's zone, Harry Collins stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Ebrahim Tshabalala came out of the goal and Harry Collins tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 93rd minute Siphokazi Madima shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nazeer Mandela saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After some fancy dribbling in the 94th minute, Francis Patel managed to get in a good position for a shot. Qwakazana's supporters rose to their feet, but Francis Patel was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Ebrahim Tshabalala breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Everyone was convinced a goal was close when Qwakazana's Francis Patel in the 96th minute lifted the ball towards the upper right corner, but Ebrahim Tshabalala was perfectly placed and prevented a goal for Mpungutyana through an amazing save. When the match was over Qwakazana could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Mpungutyana throughout the match.