By Chris Totobela
Makhanda football lovers turned out in droves at the Rhodes University Upper Prospect field on Saturday for an epic ABC Motsepe League clash between local hopes Maru FC and Sunday’s River Valley Academy.
The game started at a blistering pace with the visitors pressing hard. Maru’s acrobatic goalkeeper Anele “Popie” Hashe came up with a brilliant save in the opening stages as he tipped over the crossbar a well-taken long range shot that was destined for goal. The home side immediately settled into the game and created chances of their own, but could not convert. Aviwe “Hotto ” Klaas tormented the opponent’s right back and his efforts paid off as he outpaced him and directed the ball towards goal, past the oncoming goalkeeper to put the home side ahead 1-0. The visitors dominated the midfield battle and created more goal-scoring chances but failed to make them count. Maru FC took the narrow lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, the Sunday’s River Valley side continued where they left off in the first half, enjoying the majority of ball possession while the home side defended deep and remained compact and played more on transition. Hashe kept Maru FC in the game with his breath-taking saves as the visitors tightened the screws. Jeremiah Walters had a great opportunity to double the lead as the home side carved the Academy’s defence wide open, only for the goalkeeper to make an excellent save. Hard-working midfield general Gcobani “Tower” Sokuyeka finished off a great attacking move when he tapped home a cross from the right wing that found the visitors’ defence napping, giving Maru a 2-0 lead. Sokuyeka deserved the goal as he showed good work ethics in midfield as he helped in defence and also used his attacking prowess effectively. Both teams made a few substitutions and the visitors looked more dangerous and were rewarded when Simnikiwe “Etto” Mbonde pounced on a loose ball dropped by Maru FC’s goalkeeper to reduce the deficit. The visitors piled on the pressure, but Maru FC’s defence stood firm until the final whistle and clinched a 2-1 victory that catapulted them to the top of the log.
Maru FC’s head coach Siya Dumiso acknowledged it was a tough game for his players as the opponents dominated the midfield. “But we were not worried, as long as they did everything in front of us. We just have to go back to training and fix the issue of the lapse of concentration in the dying minutes of the game. We have young players in the team who are new at this level and are bound to make mistakes at times but they will learn from them.”
Dumiso was concerned about the added pressure brought about by the team’s rise to the top of the current standings. “It brings the attention that we do not need at the moment as everyone in this league will start looking at us.”
He thanked the supporters for coming out in large numbers. “We appreciate the love and support we are getting from Makhandans and our boys are encouraged with what they are seeing and we also love and need them in every game”.
