Clinical Dikwena thrash Ea Lla Koto

Platinum Stars have emphatically beaten Free State Stars 4-0 in a Premiership match in Rustenburg thanks to a superb brace by Thuso Phala and a star goalkeeping display by Siyabonga Mpontshane.

The match was played in the scorching heat and later ended in a thunderstorm, but despite this and the stretching Royal Bafokeng pitch, both sets of players put in a lot of effort.

The visitors made an early substitution when Togolese international Dove Wome was brought in for Enva Wiltwer in the 26th minute.

But just eight minutes later, the home side took the lead when Phala cut inside from the right side of the danger area, brought the ball onto his left foot and fired at goal. His shot was not the most powerful, but took a wicked deflection off a defender’s leg and rolled in at the far post with Kennedy Mweene having already committed the other way.

Free State Stars began showing signs of frustration as they found Dikwena keeper Mpontshane in fine form. As a result, striker Moeketsi Mvula was booked for a foul.

Phala had the ball in the back of the net again just before the half time break, having beaten the offside trap and gone around Mweene. But the assistant referee called him offside, even though replays showed the match officials had got it wrong. Phala was booked for shooting at goal after the whistle had gone.

But five minutes into the second half, Phala did score his second goal. After a swift counter attack, Dikwena opened up the Free State Stars defence and after a one-two with Mogakolodi Ngele, Phala was put through on goal on the left side of the danger area and he struck a fantastic goal with his left foot.

Then Mpontshane went on to make a fine save from Wome, who fired in a rocket-like shot. But within a few minutes, Dikwena had gone 3-0 up.

This time the provider of Dikwena’s second goal, Ngele, placed a shot past Mweene, which cannoned in off the upright following a fantastic piece of work by Vuyo Mere on the right flank. Mere, captain on the day, must take a lot of credit for squaring a pass to Ngele.

The match was then stopped for a few minutes when a thunderstorm darkened the skies in Rustenburg. But after some heavy rain, the weather cleared a little and the match could go on.

Soon after the restart, Ngele was at it again and supplied the pass for Dikwena’s fourth goal. This time, Tintswalo Tshabalala powered home his first goal of the season.

Platinum Stars (1) 4 (Phala 32’, 50’ Ngele 58’ Tshabalala 80’)

TEAMS

Platinum Stars: Mpontshane; Mere, Mpeta (Semenya 70’), Gumede, Tshabalala (Mbatha 88’); Mkhabela, Mhlongo, Msomi, Ngele (T Mthembu 83’); Phala, Botes

FS Stars: Mweene; Gege (Mhamha 81’), Sadate, Cardoso, Thebakang; Mashego, Wiltwer (Wome 26’), Masehe, Chivuta (Berrian 64’), Nomandela; Mvula

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