GU substitutions pay off
Larona Makhaiza | Tuesday November 26, 2024 11:26
The introduction of striker, Thabo Maponda, in particular, paid dividends as the former Matebele forward scored an equaliser and went onto provide an assist. The Reds were trailing by a goal when Maponda replaced Mpho Kgaswane. Maponda put his side on level terms on the 57th minute before providing an assist to Thatayaone Kgamanyane in the 90th minute to seal the victory for the GU. During a post match interview, Moloi said he was happy to see how his substitutions were spot on. 'I am very happy with the result. I am very happy with the performance as well. I thought we were very good especially in the last 45 minutes after we made the substitutions,' he said.
Moloi further said the game could have been buried earlier looking at the missed opportunities his side had in the game. 'We were very good, we could have even scored more goals. I think we had two one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper but we could not score but we forged on until we got what we wanted,' he said. The visitors, Orapa United stunned the home crowd early into the game when 18-year old Kamogelo Moloi put his side ahead. Moloi hit a sublime strike from outside the box to beat Thabo Motswagole at the top corner after GU lost possession on the edge of the box. Soon after the halftime break, coach Moloi made two substitutions removing Kgaswane and Sheikh Sesay who were replaced by Maponda and Mateus Domingos respectively. Maponda levelled matters for his side with a strike inside the box on the 57th minute.
With four minutes added in additional time, Kgamanyane made up for his misses and sealed the win for GU. Kgamanyane combined with substitute Maponda and composed himself to put it past Lesenya Malapela. The Ostriches head coach, Dimitar Pantev, was left gutted by the results especially heading into the CAF Confederations Cup group stages opener in Algeria this week. Pantev felt that his side was not lucky on the day despite starting well. 'I think everything was not bad. The first half was really good for us but the second half we tried to give them the ball and play less with the ball. We did not play bad but luck was not on our side,' he said.
The teams
GU: Thabo Motswagole, Alford Velaphi, Tatenda Gora, Mannered Matsikidze, Mothusi Johnson, Karabo Phiri, Lebogang Ditsele (Omphile Ramoagi), Mpho Kgaswane (Thabo Maponda), Thatayaone Kgamanyane, Molaodi Tlhalefang, Sheikh Sesay (Mateus Domingos)
Orapa United: Lesenya Malapela, Thato Kebue, Ivan Kambereipa, Koketso Majafi, Botsile Sakana, Gothusang Mabaya, Kamogelo Moloi (Eric Ookame), Ricky Ratlhogo, Tshepo Malgas, Kagisano Mungu
GU 2 (Maponda 57th, Kgamanyane 90th) Orapa 1 (Moloi 8th)