Nedbank Cup Semi-final

 

Full Time: Platinum Stars 2-3 SuperSport United

 

Date: 08 May 2013

 

Venue: Royal Bafokeng Stadium

 

 

 

After 120 minutes of football SuperSport United progressed into the final of Nedbank Cup after beating Platinum Stars 3-2 in the semi-final of the cup completion at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Wednesday night.

 

It was a game of plenty talking points with a few dubious decisions seeing two penalties awarded and some questionable officiating.

 

Platinum Stars started the first half the brighter of the two teams and were passing the ball about swiftly and sharply.

 

The home side managed to create their first chance on goal as early as the fifth minute when Tintswalo Tshabalala unleashed a thunderbolt from 25-yards out, but Ronwen Williams was up to the task making a fine save.

 

SuperSport, though, started to find their feet in the game and forced Kabelo Dambe into his first save of the match in the 17th minute. Thabiso Nkoana tried to curl a 20-yard effort into the top corner, but Dambe was at full stretch to his left to tip the effort around the post.

 

In the 21st minute some good build-up play by Mark Haskins resulted in Kermit Erasmus having the ball in the back of the Platinum Stars net, but the goal was disallowed due to off-sides.

 

Four minutes later and SuperSport United found themselves trailing as Tshabalala gave Dikwena the lead.

 

Initially, Tshepo Gumede slipped Thuso Phala through on goal, but Williams produced a good one-on-one save to deny him. The loose ball, however, fell to Tshabalala who drove into the box and fired his side in front from 14-yards out, 1-0.

 

The next decent chance on goal was a 30-yard free-kick from Mogakolodi Ngele in the 40th minute, but his effort was easily saved by the United keeper.   

 

A minute later and Solomon Mathe should really have doubled his side’s lead when he had a free header on goal from a corner-kick, but he sent his attempt wide of goal from eight-yards out.

 

Stars led 1-0 at half time.

 

The start of the second 45 saw Dikwena suffer a huge blow as Henrico Botes had to leave the field injured two minutes after the restart and was replaced by Siphelele Mthembu.

 

Four minutes later and matters got worse for the home side as Kermit Erasmus levelled matters. The United forward latched onto a long ball from the back and superbly volleyed the ball home from the edge of the box to restore parity, 1-1.

 

Erasmus was in the thick of the action again in the 54th minute with another great volley from just inside the box, but this time his effort rattled the crossbar and not the back of the net.

 

United continued to apply pressure on the Stars goal and were rewarded for their efforts, somewhat controversially, in the 78th minute.

 

A free-kick was knocked into the box and as the Stars keeper claimed it he appeared to be fouled by Mogogi Gabonamong allowing for the ball to spill loose, but with the referee not awarding the foul the SuperSport man played on and crossed the ball for substitute Clifford Mulenga to tap home from a yard out, 2-1.

 

After going behind Stars threw players forward and were gifted with a chance to draw matters level as Thuso Phala was brought down inside the box and the referee pointed to the penalty spot in the 91st minute.

 

Thabani Mthembu, just on as a substitute, stepped up and saw his initial penalty saved, but the linesman adjudged the keeper to have moved off his line which merited a re-take, and Mthembu made no mistake with the second spot-kick, 2-2.

 

The game went into extra time.

 

With players tiring, chances in extra time were few and far between.

 

However, United, were awarded a penalty kick in the final minute of the first half of extra time as the referee adjudged Tshepo Gumede to have fouled Edwin Gyimah inside the box. Sibusiso Zuma stepped up and coolly converted the spot-kick to put his side back in the lead, 3-2.

 

The second half of extra time saw Platinum Stars throwing men forward which resulted in them leaving space at the back, but neither side could find another goal as SuperSport progressed into the final of the cup competition.

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