ECCO revive title hopes

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Correspondent | Monday February 21, 2011 00:00

 

ECCO City Greens revived their championship hopes with a well-deserved 3-0 win over Uniao Flamengo Santos at Molepolole Sports Complex on Saturday. The Francistown side made their intentions clear with two goals in the first half.

Patrick Lenyeletse took advantage of Thabo Mothibi's sluggish defence in the 20th minute, snatching the ball metres outside the penalty box and with goalkeeper Chenjerai Dube out of his line, he advanced to tap in from close range. Two minutes before conceding the goal, Santos threatened to take the lead with Busarutweng Magola's powerful shot going narrowly over the cross bar.

Five minutes after ECCO's first goal, captain Malepa Bolelang wasted a golden opportunity after he met a Nicholas Matlhare low shot from the right. However, he hesitated long enough for the defence to recover and clear the ball.

A minute from the break, Mandlenkosi Sibanda turned the Santos' defence to put the visitors 2-0 up.

From the dressing room, Santos looked like they would turn things round. They rediscovered their usual short passing game and opened the ECCO defence.

Keabetswe Jenamiso was called on to make crucial clearances on several occasions as Boitshoko Zikhale and Bakang Moeng probed the ECCO defence. The absence of influential Santos' captain Godfrey Ngele continued to be felt even in the second stanza. Zikhale came agonisingly close in the 46th minute catching the ECCO defence on the wrong foot after connecting substitute Gofaone Tiro's low cross from the right.

Jacky Mothatego was expected to engineer Santos' attacks with his trademark long and accurate passes but the lanky midfielder looked overawed and was substituted early in the second half. On his day, the right wing back can be a menace with his seasoned defending and scintillating overlaps. But on Saturday, the Under-23 defender seemed too scared. He spent most of the time in the pitch chasing Matlhare even when he should have been giving Santos some width on the right.

As ECCO continued their well-timed attacks, Lenyeletse was lucky in the 78th minute when referee Kebafilwe Ratshipo awarded him a soft penalty when it looked like he took a dive after a slight contact with one of Santos' defenders.

Bolelang made no mistake from the spot to score the goal that completely killed off the hopes of the young Santos' side. Minutes later, Moeng's long-range shot was beaten out for a corner by ECCO goalkeeper Michael Onkutule. 

The line-ups:Santos: Dube- Thato Bolweleng, Sekgabo Molebatsi, Letsweletse Seane, Magola-(Vincent Phiri 60), Mothibi, Moeng, Mogakolodi Ngele, Mothatego(Tiro 46), Kgosiemang Ngwako, Zikhale.

Coach: George MogopodiECCO: Onkutlule, Trinty Nko, Ontse Ntesa, Jenamiso, Emmanuel Nlu, Zeco Makafiri (Gaotwesepe Legoreng 88), Matlhare (Robert Tamba 68), Mmoloki Kafuko, Bolelang, Sibanda, Lenyeletse (Mogomotsi Samson 85).

Caution: Lenyeletse 29, Sibanda 36 Nko 45Ref: Kebafilwe RatshipoAss. Refs: Lucas Nku, Bakwena Simankalele.