Goalkeeping errors cost Nico
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday January 16, 2023 16:00
Nico surrendered a 1-0 lead as Masitaoka struck late to collect all three points. Majambolo are now one of the worst travellers in the league with just four points from a possible 24 on the road. “All the two goals, we lacked the basic goalkeeping. In the first place, a mature goalkeeper was not supposed to concede that stupid corner kick.
At the same time he was not supposed to concede that second goal again,” Ncube said after the game. “There are some things that I cannot mention in the media, but I have accepted the result as it is and his mistakes as they are and go back to the drawing board.
Besides conceding with the last action of the game, we were the better team and we created more chances than them.” It was a rather slow start to the tie under scorching conditions and fans had to wait until after the 20th minute to witness a real chance at goal. Masitaoka's Brian Mankanku was at the end of a good move by the team but could only shoot over the bar.
Three minutes later, at the other end, Tinashe Chinyani thought he had given the visitors the lead but his goal was scrapped for offside. Majambolo eventually took the lead in 36th minute as Botsile Kebaikanye’s shot was parried by the keeper but on to Ivan Kamberipa’s path and the skipper hit his own net. The referee had called for a penalty after an infringement on Kebaikanye but later confirmed the goal.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead into the break. Masitaoka levelled matters early into the second as half time substitute Itumeleng Salani headed in a corner kick just three minutes after coming on. The game opened a bit after the goal as both sides chased the winner. However, they were let down by their hasty decisions in the final third. In the 70th minute, Masitaoka’s Christopher Lemme was superbly denied by the keeper in a one-on-one situation. A minute later, Nico's Kelvin Ndebele saw his shot well saved by the keeper.
As it seemed like it was going to end in a draw, substitute Lethabo Ogotseng popped between the keeper and the defence to tuck in from close range while he benefited from the keeper’s butterfly fingers to give his side the winner. Speaking to journalists after the game, Masitaoka’s head coach Mandla Mpofu admitted his team needed some bit of luck on the day. “I think at times we must face reality.
This industry sometimes it’s about luck and I must say we were lucky and at times we worked for the luck. We did not play the way we wanted to play and the way we usually play,” he said. The teams Masitaoka: Victor James, Moloi Thuto (Tapiwa Sepatela), Ivan Kamberipa, Obusitswe Gabadise, Thabang Khuduga, Marius Kotze, Olebogeng Ramotse, Brian Mankanku (Simbarashe Manyoni), Christopher Lemme (Lethabo Ogotseng), Bakang Tsholang (Losika Ratshukudu), Gorata Bogale (Itumeleng Salani) Nico: Gaolatlhe Tshupegetso, Seabe Toteng, Thabo Mosielele, Gothusang Osego, Stephane Mothwalo, Kgosietsile Mapena, Kelvin Ndebele (Mmilili Makwekwe) Botsile Kebaikanye (Lovemore Bogatsu), Kudakwashe Tsvamuno (Johnson Kepaletswe), Tinashe Chinyani, Bokamoso Mosima Cautions: Manzoni, Ogotseng
Masitaoka (0) 2 (Salani 48th, Ogotseng 90+4) Nico (1) 1 (Kamberipa 36th o.g)