Play Off - Final - First Leg - Report
Mpumalanga Black Aces 0 Thanda Royal Zulu 0
WITBANK, May 31 (Absa Premier League) – Thanda Royal Zulu fought hard and got a goalless draw with them from the first leg of their relegation play-off final against Mpumalanga Black Aces in Witbank on Sunday.
They now must win the second leg at Hammarsdale next Sunday in order to retain their Absa Premier League status.
Amazayoni had their first real threat on goal in the 13th minute when Lehumo Itshegetseng sent in an audacious 35-yard shot from the right that caused Aubrey Mathibe to scramble, but the ball flew narrowly wide.
Seconds later Madoda Motha pulled his shot from the right across the face of goal, before Jacob Machaka sent his free-kick from the edge of the penalty area narrowly wide to the left.
The hosts continued to attack and after Setjaba Mmuso and Essau Mtshweni exchanged passes, the former scooped his 18-yard effort tamely over.
Itshegetseng was again in the mix after 25 minutes, sending in a dangerous cross from the right that needed to be scrambled away by Mathibe
Motha then had two further chances to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark – the first came after being put through at the near post by Machaka from the left, but the shot was pushed wide.
Then came the chance of the opening half, when James Madidilani gifted the ball to the Aces striker, who saw his shot from 20-yards out cannon off the cross-bar and sail over.
But the pace of the game slowed right down after that, until three minutes before the break when another excellent run and shot from the impressive Itshegetseng flew inches over.
More luck fell Thanda’s way in the closing seconds of the half with Machaka and Mmuso both striking ambitious efforts against either uprights as the sides went in level after 45 minutes.
After the restart, Aces failed to immediately build on that momentum and had to wait until just after the hour mark for their next chance – wide-man Itshegetseng again tormenting the opponents with his chipped effort that beat Mathibe, but not his right upright as the ball again bounced out to the dismay of the home fans.
Felix Obada finally created a first chance for his side, which was struck straight into the side-netting from close range.
And that opening seemed to give Thanda hope, with Sibusiso Hadebe firing a half-chance from 20-yards straight at Oscar Ramogoadi.
However, Lindokuhle Mbatha should have won the game for Aces 13 minutes from time, but miscued his six-yard shot wide after receiving a cut back pass from Motha on the right.
There was even another chance for substitute Kabamba Musasa, who saw his glancing header sail narrowly wide, as our boys held on.