Promotion for gusty Alex United beckons

High-riding, Alex United took another step closer to promotion to the National First Division next season after beating bottom of the league Tembisan side Atlie 2-1.

The score could have been much higher, but that was not to be as the Hope City Giants settled for a comfortable win in their Safa Second Division promotional league match played at the Balfour Park Stadium.

United came close to scoring on numerous occasions and Samukelo ‘Bin Ladin’ Nkosi was the biggest culprit of wasted opportunities. In the 15th minute, United’s Itumeleng Nkwana came close to putting his team ahead after being set up by Patricio ‘Mlungu’ Toni, but the acrobatics of Atlie keeper Skhumbuzo Zwane came in handy as he saved what the United bench had thought was the opener.

Nkosi missed a second opportunity when all he had to do was make contact with the ball sliding across the goalmouth..

In the second half, United coach Madida Lethele substituted Itumeleng Mohale in favour of the creative Bathabile Letsoalo whose impact completely changed the complexion of the game with his telling runs on the right flank.

Toni who had seemed to be out of the match, received a brilliant ball from a corner kick and out jumped two defenders to head home, but his celebration was short- lived as Atlie equalised. It was game on as United mounted attempt after attempt in search of the winner. It came 11 minutes before the final whistle when Gavin Abrahams slotted it past Zwane to make it 2-1.

Atlie coach Victor ‘Baresi’ Tshabalala, a former Classic and Chiefs player, blamed his team’s loss to the “two soft goals that we gifted them”, while his United counterpart, Lethele, attributed the success of the team to his predecessor whom he said had planted the seeds of success in the team.

“We could have easily buried this team 10-1 had we used all the opportunities that came our way,“ Lethele said.