Sesay cracker keeps GU hopes alive
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday September 18, 2023 16:00
From the bench, debutant, Sheikh Sesay scored a world class goal with the last kick of the match to save his side from a near home defeat in a game played at the National Stadium on Saturday evening. The visitors had taken the lead early in the second half and the Reds had to salvage a draw late in the tie to keep hopes of progression to the competition’ group stage. The home side could have taken the lead inside the first quarter of an hour but Thatayaone Kgamanyane was denied by Washington Arubi on two occasions.
Thero Setsile had on the fifth minute pin pointed a long ball for Kgamanyane but the latter's shot was too weak to trouble Arubi. On the 14th minute, Onkabetse Makgantai put a teasing cross to be met by Kgamanyane but the attacker was superbly denied by Arubi from inside the box. Three minutes later the visitors had their first go at goal as Siphesihle Ndlovu pierced through the GU midfield and laid a through ball to Terrence Dzvukamanja but the striker’s attempt was wide off the post.
Thabang Khuduga on the 26th minute hit a low cross for Mpho Kgaswane but he shot over the bar. The first half ended level at 0-0 as Khuduga looked good on his debut on the left full back position while Kgamanyane had the best chances of the game. Just seconds into the second half, SuperSport took the lead as substitute, Keenan Bezuidehout tucked from close range to give his side the lead with his first touch of the game. The home side tried to come back in the match and came close on the 68th minute as Kgamanyane headed wide off the post. Two minutes later, on the other end Dzvukamanja went for the curler but he was denied by the Ookeditse Semelamela. From the bench, Grant Margeman’s teasing cross was met by Dzvukamanja’s diving header but Semelamela once again came tops. As the referee was to blow his whistle, Sesay connected well with a loose ball, miles from the penalty area and beat Arubi to the top corner to level the matters.
The visiting coach, Gavin Hunt was happy with the results but promised a much better SuperSport team at home. “We will have a different team in the next game, we will be different. We have a few games before that and we will look at who is to play but the team will be completely different,” Hunt said. GU’s Pontsho Moloi showered plaudits for the debutant boy. “Sesay is a wonderful boy, young as well just travelled all the way from Monrovia. But you can see there is quality there. He started off a bit slow, came and found the tempo a little bit higher but he did well as the game went on,” he said. The two teams will meet in a fortnight for the second leg in Pretoria.
The teams:
GU: Ookeditse Semelamela, Alphord Velaphi, Tshepo Maikano, Mothusi Johnson, Thabang Khuduga, Lebogang Ditsele, Mothusi Cooper (Sheikh Sesay), Mpho Kgaswane, Thero Setsile, Thatayaone Kgamanyane, Onkabetse Makgantai (Molaodi Tlhalefang)
SuperSport: Washington Arubi, Phathutshedzo Nange (Jabu Matsio), Thulani Hlatswayo, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Terrence Dzvukamanja (Jesse Donn),Lyle Lakay, Ime Okon, Onismor Bhasera, Thalente Mbatha (Grant Margeman), Ghampani Lungu, Lyema Dopolo ( Keenan Bezuidehout)