Ostriches put Popa to the sword
Koketso Kgoboge | Monday April 27, 2015 16:27
Both teams had difficulty in executing their game plans in the first half. They fought neck-and-neck before the Ostriches composed themsleves and started taking control and tempo of the game.
Popa on the other hand struggled to find their rhythm as their attempts were easily repealed.
Orapa United took the lead in the 40th minute through Hendrick Moyo who converted from the spot. This followed Lawrence Majawa’s foul on Thabang Mosige. Moyo took his tally of goals to 14, becoming the joint leading goal scorer with Mochudi Centre Chiefs’ Lemponye Tshireletso. The goal separated the two sides at halftime.
Orapa United dominated play in the second half with their defence also doing a good job by stopping all Rollers attacks. The combination of Jerome Ramatlhakwana and Sekhana Koko never seemed to threaten the Ostriches’ back four. In the 55th minute, Rollers made a double substitution pulling out Dirang Moloi who was performing below par for Manqoba Ngwenya and Kobamelo Kebaikanye also made way for Sikele.
Orapa United striker, Mandlaenkosi Sibanda whose performance was below par for the better part of the game, unleashed a beautiful curler towards the middle of the second half but the ball hit the upright. A moment later on the other side, Otlantshekela Mooketsi took a long range shot but the ball went slightly over the bar.
Tshepho Mothhabankwe also took a shot from outside the box, but Orapa United goalkeeper who was caught napping managed to parry the ball away.
The ball, however, did not go far and resulted in a scramble in the box as Orapa United defence tried to clean up. The referee came to their rescue, pointing a foul on Emmanuel Nlu.
Ngwenya then tried a bicycle kick from inside the box, but it lacked power to trouble the Orapa United goalkeeper. Moyo, easily one of the most impressive players on the pitch twisted and turned Simisani Mathumo in the box before rolling the ball across to his striking partner, Lenyeletse who pounced to make it 2-0 with 12 minutes remaining.
The Ostriches became supremely confident on the ball as their die-hard fans continued to chant with jubilation. They decided to lay back to try and protect their lead. They put nine men behind the ball until the final whistle.
Orapa United 2 (Moyo 40th, Lenyeletse 78th)
Rollers 0
The line-ups:
Orapa United: Robert, Mosige, Mashadza, Mungabe,Motheng,Mgcini Sibanda, Motsepe, Nlu, Moyo, Lenyeletse, Mandlaenkosi Sibanda
Rollers: Masule, Mooketsi, Majawa, Ncenga, Mathumo, Motlhabankwe, Ditshupo, Moloi, Koko, Kebaikanye, Ramatlhakwana