“Three points is better than nothing,” says coach after nervy 2-1 win
Mhlaba’s first–half flourish fades into a second–half battle to keep their lead.
Mhlaba FC may not have delivered the polished performance they wanted, but they walked away from the 3 Square Sports Ground with what mattered most — three points.
This was after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Norwood Young Stars in their ANLFA Promotional League clash on July 4.
The opening half belonged to Mhlaba, who carved out chance after chance. Enos ‘Katongo’ Moso broke the deadlock with a confident finish past goalkeeper Mteni Matenjwa, before Kamogelo Namtshibe doubled the lead to 2-0.
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Yet, despite their dominance, Mhlaba’s inability to convert further opportunities left the door open. “We had a lot of chances, especially in the first half. But we couldn’t punish them. When you are playing a game, and you don’t punish a team, they come and punish you,” said coach Ndabezinhle Mhlaba.
He admitted his side should have been out of sight by halftime. “We were supposed to score even four goals in the first half. We even ended up changing the formation to 4-2-4 because the game wasn’t difficult.”
The second half told a different story. Fatigue crept into Mhlaba’s ranks, and Young Stars seized the moment. Nthando Zulu slotted past goalkeeper Tali Troy Justin to cut the deficit to 2-1, sparking a nervy finish.
“I think maybe the second half was a bit difficult because of fitness,” Mhlaba admitted.
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“The first half was easier. When we came in the second half, we were a little bit tired, and then they managed to get a goal. But we managed to finish in the lead.”
With the scoreline tightened, both sides threw everything forward. Young Stars pressed relentlessly, testing Justin, while Mhlaba’s forwards were repeatedly caught offside in their search for a third goal.
Despite the mounting pressure, Mhlaba’s defence held firm until the referee’s whistle confirmed a hard-fought victory.
“The game was a bit difficult, especially in the last few minutes,” Mhlaba summed up. “But then three points are better than nothing.”
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