By Chris Totobela
Matchday 6 of the 2024 NYC thrilled the fans as they witnessed good football displayed in the tournament’s first semi-final. Another team that has earned the tournament favourites tag, PK United from Peddie, locked horns with Somerset East-based Seven Stars in a thrill-a-minute game.
Both teams started the game like a house on fire. Both teams created good scoring chances but failed to convert them. PK United took the lead with only less than ten minutes left in the first half when their right back rose unchallenged and steered home a very powerful header that gave the goalkeeper no chance. They took their slender lead to the halftime break.
In the second half, the game opened up nicely, with both teams playing with flair and speed. PK United extended their lead when the Stars’ keeper misjudged the ball and tried to intercept a through pass, but he was too late as the attacker steered the ball into an open net. A few minutes later, the Seven Stars keeper committed the same mistake once again, and the results were the same as PK United’s attacker tapped the ball over the oncoming keeper to take the score to three-nil.
Seven Stars pulled one back with a perfect free kick taken from the left wing that found the far corner of the net. Stars piled on the pressure, but poor finishing let them down severely. United finished the game with 10 men as one of their defenders received his marching orders after being cautioned twice in the same game. The final score was 3-1, and PK United will now play the winner of the second semi-final between Makhanda’s Makana Tigers and hot tournament favourites Gqeberha-based Motherwell Envoys.
