Absa Premiership

Result: Moroka Swallows 1-3 Kaizer Chiefs

Date: 20 April 2013

Venue: Dobsonville Stadium

Referee: Buyile Gqubule Kaizer Chiefs extended their lead at the top of the Absa Premiership table as they came from behind to beat Moroka Swallows 3-1 at the Dobsonville Stadium.

Giorgi Nergadze opened for The Dube Birds, but a Bernard Parker brace coupled with a George Lebese goal took The Glamour Boys  up to 55 points – six ahead of second-placed Platinum Stars who were held by Chippa United earlier in the day.

There was a massive chance on five minutes for Swallows when Siyabonga Nomvete was given acres of space on the left and the striker unleashed a furious shot which had the better of Itumeleng Khune, but saw it come crashing back off the crossbar.

At the other end Swallows’ defence was caught napping and it took a save from Greg Etafia to deny Lebese from giving The Amakhosi the lead.

The deadlock was eventually broken on 20 minutes when Nergadze was afforded a free header and nodded it past a hapless Khune.

It went from bad to worse for Chiefs momentarily as Khune brought down Lerato Chabangu on the edge of the area and the referee pointed to the spot. It was a perfect finish by Katlego Mashego upon first ask, but he was forced to retake the spot-kick due to players encroaching in the area. It was the same result second time around, and upon third asking Mashego was denied by Khune. 

At the other end Chiefs then brought themselves back level when Parker smashed it home from an acute angle following a cheeky back heel pass from Kingston Nkhatha.

Nine minutes into the second period Chiefs made it 2-1 when Parker slipped the ball into the corner following a brilliant cross from Willard Katsande.

With 19 minutes to play, the result was set when Lebese rounded off a brilliant Chiefs move and slotted the ball past an onrushing Etafia.

It was nearly four in the 90th minute when Parker came close to securing a hat-trick, but it wasn’t to be Etafia pulled off the save.

Swallows: Greg Etafia, Rudi Isaacs (Felix Obada 75), Luvhengo Mungomeni, Roger da Costa, Shere Lekhothoane, Lefa Tsutsulupa, Giorgi Nergadze, Katlego Mashego, Bennett Chenene (Joseph Makhanya 68), Lerato Chabangu, Siyabonga Nomvete.

Subs: Aubrey Mathibe, Ashraf Hendricks, Macbeth Sibaya, Dikgang Mabalane, David Mathebula

Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Erick Mathoho, Junaid Mashamaite, Tsepo Masilela, Willard Katsande, Siyabonga Nkosi, Siphiwe Tshabalala, George Lebese (Josta Dladla 82), Kingston Nkhatha (Sthembiso Ngcobo 86), Bernard Parker.

Subs: Nhlanhla Khuzwayo,Keegan Ritchie, Lincoln Zvasiya, Lucky Baloyi, Lehlohonolo Majoro.

Goals: Giorgi Nergazde (Swallows 20), Bernard Parker (Chiefs 31, 54), George Lebese (Chiefs 72)

http://www.soccerladuma.com

Absa Premiership

Result: University of Pretoria 1-1 Free State Stars

Date: 20 April 2013

Venue:  Tuks Stadium

A goal in each half, one from Anver Esterhuizen in the first and Mame Niang in the second, saw the spoils shared in an Absa Premiership match at the Tuks Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the University of Pretoria and Free State Stars played to a 1-1 draw.

The home side certainly started the brighter of the two teams and played some nice passing football early on.

Only the brilliance of Kennedy Mweene in-between the Stars’ goal posts kept his side in the game in the seventh minute. Dipsy Selolwane let rip with a thunderbolt from 30-yards out, but the Ea Lla Koto produced a great full stretch save, diving to his right to deny him.

Tuks continued to dominate play, but were unable to fashion any real clear-cut chances on goal. Instead it was at the other end where we saw the opening goal of the match in the 29th minute.

In a rare foray forward Sihle Mpuqa provided a great cross into the box from the right and Anver Esterhuizen rose above his marker to powerfully head the ball home from 14-yards out, 1-0.

Despite going behind Tuks did not drop their heads and continued to press forward.

In the 38th minute Mame Niang came close to equalising for the home side when he met a deep cross from the right, but his 12-yard header went narrowly wide of the target with the keeper well beaten.

That was the last significant action of the half as it ended 1-0 in favour of the visitors.

The second 45 saw Tuks continue to pile on the pressure and they found their just rewarded in the 59th minute when Niang equalised for the home side.

The forward latched onto a long ball from the back and with just the keeper to beat he powerfully volleyed the ball beyond a desperate Mweene from 14-yards out, 1-1.

Neither side seemed to be able to break down the others defence thereafter, although with ten minutes to go Thokozani Sekotlong came bitterly close to finding the winner for Tuks with a 22-yard shot, but he saw his effort skim the wrong side of the crossbar.

Neither team could find the winner as the game ended 1-1.

For more http://www.soccerladuma.com

Johannesburg – Chippa United put a dent in the title hopes of league chasers Platinum Stars, as the tenacious rookies fought back to secure a 1-1 draw in Phokeng, outside Rustenburg, on Saturday.

“We started well, and scored early, but then we went to sleep and allowed them back into the game,” said Stars coach Cavin Johnson.

“I don’t think we played good football today.”

Dikwena, chasing their fourth straight victory, were held off by the log-bottom Absa Premiership newcomers, who kept them on their toes.

Malawian international Robert Ngambi put Stars, who were four points behind league leaders Kaizer Chiefs ahead of the weekend fixtures, in control early on, charging in to net a well-placed header in the fifth minute.

Dikwena had a host of chances in the opening period, with Thuso Phala perhaps fluffing their best opportunity when he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Tashrique Goldman but was chased down by the Chippa defence.

Stars had a couple more close attempts in the second half, with Mogakolodi Ngele drawing a magnificent diving save from Goldman in the 53rd minute, and Ngambi hitting the crossbar from a header with 17 minutes left in the match.

Chippa hit back midway through the second stanza when Andile Mbenyane climbed high to score the equaliser and save a point for his team.

“This is a massive point for us,” said new Chippa coach Mark Harrison.

“In the first half we were poor, and we gave away a silly goal early on, but I think we were better in the second half.

“If we can start like that, we’ll have a chance.” – Sapa

The North West Provincial government in its effort to overcome challenges related to the management of cases within departments is to empower departmental coordinators on coordination of Hotline cases. The two-day empowerment session hosted by the Office of the Premier as coordinator of Hotline cases in the province is to be held at Elgro Hotel in Potchefstroom as from Thursday.

Officials from departments nominated to expedite National Hotline cases are expected to be empowered on investigation of white collar crime including strategies on how to deal with fraud and corruption from a legal and investigative perspective, techniques and a guide to financial crime that include corruption, bribery and money laundering.

Premier Thandi Modise has consistently called for an onslaught against Corruption and for it to be uprooted as it has a negative impact on development, democracy, human rights and governance.

“We call on members of the public toreport incidents of Fraud and Corruption to the National Anti Corruption Hotline on 0800 701 701 as it undermines the gains of the democratic state and poses a serious threat to democratic governance. It negatively affects poverty alleviation efforts, human security and the delivery of government services, and thereby violates the rights of the people,” appealed Premier Modise. 

The workshop is to be facilitated by the Office of the Public Service Commission, the Directorate Forensic Management Services in the Office of the Premier and other internal and external stakeholders.

Nwest upbeat about Danish donor funding for Taung irrigation project 

 The North West Provincial Government is upbeat about the R4 million Danish funding that the Presidency has secured for development of Taung Agriculture College as a centre of excellence for irrigation training.

Premier Thandi Modise has expressed optimism that the donor funding will assist in the repositioning of Taung Agriculture College as a centre of excellence in irrigation technology in line with its agro-ecological zone.

The establishment of a provincial task team led by the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development supported by the Presidency, in collaboration with Greater Taung Local Municipality and the Department of Social Development, Women. Youth and People with Disability and the appointment of the Agriculture Research Council as an implementing agent were supported by the Provincial Executive Council (Exco) in its meeting this week.

Exco in its meeting held on Wednesday approved the initiative by the Presidency and allowed the Provincial Task Team to engage further in terms of business development and drafting of the Memorandum of Understanding for stakeholder formulation. 

  Twenty-nine students are admitted for the Diploma in Agriculture specialising in Irrigation at the college. The qualification was approved by the South African Qualification Authority in 2011.

The funding follows a visit by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in 2011 to evaluate measures on how government could as part of its War on Poverty Programme intervene in depressed areas of Taung to alleviate poverty.

Moroka Swallows coach Zeca Marques says that his team is up for Saturday’s Soweto derby against neighbours, Kaizer Chiefs.

Swallows host the log leaders at the Dobsonville Stadium in their Absa Premiership outing tomorrow, and although Chiefs are experiencing a rich vein of form, it will count for very little in the derby.

Marques said that their 2-1 loss to Chippa United on Wednesday has motivated the players and they are looking to bounce back against the Amakhosi. He said that they are aware of the fixture’s importance and adamant on collecting the three points.

“The players are ready and up to the challenge of facing Chiefs. You have seen how Chiefs have performed this season. They have shown the character of a great team but my players know that after losing five games in a row, we were in a bad position and they don’t want to go back there so their focus is on winning against Chiefs now. They are equal to the challenge,” said.

The weekend’s Absa Premiership Soweto derby will be played at the Dobsonville Stadium, with the game scheduled to start at 18:00.

For more www.soccerladuma.com

Last season Moroka Swallows finished their Absa Premiership campaign in second place, losing out on the final day of the season to eventual champions, Orlando Pirates. Their top eight finish saw the Dobsonville-based side go on and clinch the 2012/13 MTN8 title.

Swallows have struggled to find consistent form since their MTN triumph, however are determined to secure a top eight finish this season and go on to defend the MTN8 in the 2013/14 campaign.

On Saturday Swallows take on log leaders Kaizer Chiefs at the Dobsonville Stadium and will be aiming for a win as they look to move into the top eight. Currently sat in ninth place on the PSL log, a win should, depending on the other results, see them move up the table.

Swallows captain, Lefa Tsutsulupa, says that they are targeting a top eight spot and will need to snatch points from their cross-city rivals on the weekend.

“We know Chiefs are a good team and they are on top of their game, but at this point we need all the points we need so that we can finish in the top eight and go all the way to defend our trophy.

“We have to fight hard for that and the players know it and on Saturday they will be fighting for those all important three points. We have objectives and unfortunately for Chiefs  we have to defend our trophy for next season and end up as high as possible,” Tsutsulupa explained.

For more www.soccerladuma.com

Kaizer Chiefs have extended Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Tefu Mashamaite and Bernard Parker’s contracts with the Naturena-based club.

The Soweto giants confirmed on their official Twitter account that the three players have extended their respective deals.

Letsholonyane and Parker have both, respectively, signed new three-year contracts, while Mashamaite has agreed to a two-year deal.

Chiefs tweeted, “Reneilwe Letsholonyane has renewed his contract with Kaizer Chiefs and will stay for a further 3 years!”

“Tefu Mashamaite has renewed his contract with Kaizer Chiefs and will stay for a further 2 years!”

“Bernard Parker has renewed his contract with Kaizer Chiefs and will stay for a further 3 years!”

Letsholonyane and Parker’s deals were set to expire at the end of the current season and although their futures have been in doubt of late, the two South African internationals have pledged their futures to the club.

For more www.soccerladuma.com

Rustenburg – Residens of Ikaneng, near Rustenburg, were protesting over service delivery on Friday, North West police said.

Captain Aasje Botma said people were marching to a local councillor’s home to hand over a memorandum.

“Police are present at the march. No violence was reported, but we continue to monitor the situation.”

The organisers of the protest could not immediately be reached for comment. – Sapa

Pretoria -So-called “Modimolle monster” Johan Kotze believed his marriage was holy, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Friday afternoon.

Clinical psychologist Tertia Spangenberg told the court Kotze believed his sexual relationship and marriage to Ina Bonnette was sacred.

For more www.iol.co.za