Lebohang Nkaki Lebohang Nkaki (right) of Polokwane City converted a penalty against SuperSport United. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
THE good old cliché ‘games in hand do not equal points in the bag’ rang true at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium as SuperSport United’s efforts to move off the bottom of the Premiership hit a snag in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Polokwane City.
Uncharacteristically languishing in the relegation zone, the three-time league champions are thought by many to be in with a chance of avoiding the playoffs, given they have played less matches than their opponents.
But that is assuming they would win those.
Expectations were they’d bag the maximum three against a City side that have gone off the boil that initially saw them looking like serious top-three contenders early in the season.
And when they took the lead early on via a Christian Saile headed goal at the near post from a corner kick, hope sprang eternal for Andre Arendse and his team that they’d bring an end to their long winless run.
Prior to this match, SuperSport were without a victory in their last five matches, but the goal – coming as it did shortly after they’d threatened from a similarly in-swinging corner – suggested they had the beating of their hosts.
Incredulously though, Bafana Bafana defender Nyiko Mobbie contrived to rob his team of the maximum points just before halftime when he clumsily and needlessly dove into a tackle to hack Bonginkosi Dlamini inside the box.
It was a clear penalty which Lebohang Nkaki converted with ease as SuperSport goalkeeper Ricardo Goss moved too early from his line and went the wrong way.
Matches between these two teams have historically been closely-contested affairs, and this one was not going to deviate from the script as the match see-sawed from one end to the other without there being further goals.
There were attempts either way though as Brian Okoth did well to flail away a sweetly struck Neo Rapoo free kick that looked to be dipping under the crossbar five minutes from halftime.
Saile fashioned a brilliant opportunity to complete his brace on 64 minutes, the Congolese striker turning his marker inside out, only to hoof the ball over afterwards as he lost his balance and kicked while falling.
The home side responded with a chance of their own five minutes later as Mokibelo Ramabu managed a good turn on the edge of the box, but shot tamely to give Goss easy pickings.
Five minutes from the end, Manuel Kambala smashed the ball hard and on target from just outside the box, but Goss was equal to the task and kept the scoreline level.
Not the kind of result either team would have been particularly enthused with, SuperSport moreso – Matsatsantsa only moving to 23 points – equal to bottom-placed Cape Town City, who have played two matches more.
SuperSport are going to have to make those matches in hand count for three points, or they could find themselves in a spot of bother.
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