Baroka find form to down SuperSport
Baroka FC stunned SuperSport United 3-1 in an Absa Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The win took Bakgaga Ba Ga Mphlahlele to third spot on the league standings, while Matsatsantsa remain 11th on the table.
Matsatsantsa were the better side in the first 15 minutes of the match, with Bradley Grobler looking lively upfront for the visitors.
However, the Bakgaga Ba Ga Mphahlele defence, which was marshalled by Olaleng Shaku, was able to contain the visitors.
Thuso Phala, the SuperSport winger, had the ball in the back of the net in the 18th minute, but it didn't count as the 31-year-old was offside.
The hosts broke the deadlock against the run of play when Lucky Nguzana beat SuperSport goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse with a low shot to make it 1-0 to Baroka.
Matsatsantsa pushed for the equalising goal with the halftime break fast approaching, and Phala had a chance to level matters.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder somehow missed the target from close range as his header went over the crossbar in the 38th minute.
Grobler should have made it 1-1 on the stroke of halftime, but the SuperSport marksman's effort hit the crossbar. Baroka were leading 1-0 at the interval.
The visitors were unfortunate not to level matters three minutes after the restart when Teboho Mokoena's effort was cleared off the goal-line by Baroka defender Mathari Mothupa
Eric Tinkler's men kept piling pressure on the Baroka defence and they did equalise through Azubuike Egwuekwe, who scored with a header to make it 1-1 in the 53rd minute.
Kgoloko Thobejane, the Baroka head coach, reacted by introducing Talent Chawapiwa, who replaced fellow left-winger Mpho Kgaswane.
Chawapiwa almost made an immediate impact in the 68th minute as he dribbled past SuperSport captain Dean Furman, before forcing Pieterse into a brilliant save.
Bakgaga Ba Ga Mphahlele's lead was restored by Letladi Madubanya, who headed home Richard Matloga's free-kick to make it 2-1 to Baroka in the 72nd minute.
The hosts continued to attack in the closing stages of the game, with Goodman Mosele forcing Pieterse into a fantasic save with a long range shot.
Baroka's 3-1 win was sealed by Mduduzi Mdantsane, who scored in the 91st minute following some good work by Chawapiwa down the left-hand side.
Baroka (1) 3 (Nguzana 31', Madubanya 72', Mdantsane 90+1')
SuperSport (0) 1 (Egwuekwe 62')
Baroka: Vries, Mothupa, Shaku, Mahashe, Masenamela, Moeti (Matloga 71'), Madubanya, Mdantsane, Kgaswane (Chawapiwa 65'), Ngalande (Mosele 81'), Nguzana.
SuperSport: Pieterse, Kekana, Daniels, Egwuekwe, Boateng (Mbule 62'), Furman, Letsholonyane (Myeni 77'), Mokoena, Phala, Modiba, Grobler (Brockie 67').