Chippa United put in the hard running and their skills certainly troubled a more sophisticated SuperSport United‚ in the end both sides having to settle for a share of the spoils in Sunday’s 1-1 Absa Premiership match.
Buyani Sali’s close-range strike put Chippa ahead in the 14th minute at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. SuperSport fought back into the game as Kingston Nkatha buried a penalty a minute into first-half injury time.
Chippa’s combination of quick‚ nimble little runners and muscular attackers in their frontline‚ and a brawny midfield and defence‚ seem the right fit for former 1980s Orlando Pirates captain Dan Malasela‚ a coach known for allowing his teams to play to their instincts.
The skills of Sali and Joseph Molangoane were prominent for the Eastern Cape team. Chippa certainly looked dangerous whenever they had the ball at feet in the final third against a SuperSport team whose coach‚ Stuart Baxter‚ has still not solved the defensive problems that saw the former Kaizer Chiefs boss replace Gordon Igesund in January.
Matsantsantsa were the more sophisticated‚ their slick attack compensating to some extent for a defence that did also improve in the second half.
The sense behind moving a match between a side from Pretoria who have no supporters‚ and one from Port Elizabeth‚ to Polokwane in Limpopo for the purposes of making use of a World Cup stadium might escape most. But‚ as can be the case when barely anyone bothers to pitch up‚ the two teams’ contrasting styles served up a quick‚ entertaining encounter.
Early on Jeremy Brockie’s ball over the top set Nkatha free‚ who cracked a shot at goalkeeper Ayanda Masiko.
Chippa profited from poor defence from the home team to score first. Right-back Diamond Thopola’s low cross in from the right fell to playmaker Sali unmarked at the far post‚ who had time to place a simple tap-in past SuperSport keeper Ronwen Williams.
SuperSport’s clever build-ups continued to pry openings‚ as did Chippa’s instinctive probes in the other direction.
Thuso Phala found space down the right and squared for Brockie to place a strong shot in the top-right corner‚ Masiko well-placed to make the stop. Sali’s shot at the other end had Williams diving.
SuperSport’s attacking forcefulness was troubling Chippa‚ as much as the PE side’s quickness in the other direction. Something gave when Phala’s shot struck the arm of Chippa captain James Okwuosa.
There were enough metres between forward and centre-back for the referee penalty to seem justified. Nkatha struck in off the left upright and a touch from the unfortunate Masiko.
SuperSport took stock from a first half that was pleasurable to the eye‚ but probably too loose for Baxter’s comfort‚ as Matsantsantsa tightened up from the break.
Chippa continued to try to put in the running‚ Molangoane having a penalty appeal turned down when the winger went down under the challenge of Mario Booysen in the 75th.
Both teams had their half-chances to win it‚ but neither could take one of them. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
After a game of half-chances‚ Chippa and SuperSport settle for draw
Buyani Sali’s close-range strike put Chippa ahead in the 14th minute at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. SuperSport fought back into the game as Kingston Nkatha buried a penalty a minute into first-half injury time.
Chippa’s combination of quick‚ nimble little runners and muscular attackers in their frontline‚ and a brawny midfield and defence‚ seem the right fit for former 1980s Orlando Pirates captain Dan Malasela‚ a coach known for allowing his teams to play to their instincts.
The skills of Sali and Joseph Molangoane were prominent for the Eastern Cape team. Chippa certainly looked dangerous whenever they had the ball at feet in the final third against a SuperSport team whose coach‚ Stuart Baxter‚ has still not solved the defensive problems that saw the former Kaizer Chiefs boss replace Gordon Igesund in January.
Matsantsantsa were the more sophisticated‚ their slick attack compensating to some extent for a defence that did also improve in the second half.
The sense behind moving a match between a side from Pretoria who have no supporters‚ and one from Port Elizabeth‚ to Polokwane in Limpopo for the purposes of making use of a World Cup stadium might escape most. But‚ as can be the case when barely anyone bothers to pitch up‚ the two teams’ contrasting styles served up a quick‚ entertaining encounter.
Early on Jeremy Brockie’s ball over the top set Nkatha free‚ who cracked a shot at goalkeeper Ayanda Masiko.
Chippa profited from poor defence from the home team to score first. Right-back Diamond Thopola’s low cross in from the right fell to playmaker Sali unmarked at the far post‚ who had time to place a simple tap-in past SuperSport keeper Ronwen Williams.
SuperSport’s clever build-ups continued to pry openings‚ as did Chippa’s instinctive probes in the other direction.
Thuso Phala found space down the right and squared for Brockie to place a strong shot in the top-right corner‚ Masiko well-placed to make the stop. Sali’s shot at the other end had Williams diving.
SuperSport’s attacking forcefulness was troubling Chippa‚ as much as the PE side’s quickness in the other direction. Something gave when Phala’s shot struck the arm of Chippa captain James Okwuosa.
There were enough metres between forward and centre-back for the referee penalty to seem justified. Nkatha struck in off the left upright and a touch from the unfortunate Masiko.
SuperSport took stock from a first half that was pleasurable to the eye‚ but probably too loose for Baxter’s comfort‚ as Matsantsantsa tightened up from the break.
Chippa continued to try to put in the running‚ Molangoane having a penalty appeal turned down when the winger went down under the challenge of Mario Booysen in the 75th.
Both teams had their half-chances to win it‚ but neither could take one of them. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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