Mpumalanga Black Aces fail their exam against Tuks
This poor defensive display was the undoing for Amazayoni, as their failure to clear the ball in the box lead to Tuks' opening goal from Mnyamane.
The University of Pretoria (AmaTuks) was too strong for a spirited Mpumalanga Black Aces team when they registered a 2-1 victory at the Tuks Stadium on Saturday, February 28 in a pulsating Absa Premiership encounter.
AmaTuks stretched their unbeaten run to seven matches while Aces are now in the bottom half of the league table in a rather worrisome 12th position after another disappointing loss. Thabo Mnyamane and Vuyisile Ntombayithethi’s goals were enough for Tuks to counter Tendai Ndoro’s first-half equaliser for Aces.
Atusaye Nyondo was the danger man for Tuks with his speed and ball control, creating problems for the somewhat lackluster Aces defence.
This poor defensive display was the undoing for Amazayoni, as their failure to clear the ball in the box lead to Tuks’ opening goal from Mnyamane. The striker slotted the ball past Mabokgwane with consummate ease to put his side in seventh heaven.
Tendai Ndoro and Collins Mbesuma teamed up well for the majority of the first-half as it seemed that one of these strikers would be the one to reply with a goal for Aces.
Ndoro answered the call with a well worked goal after classy interplay between him and Mbesuma. Aces looked the better team at the start of the second half but wasted a number of chances to take the lead. Abia Nale could have beaten Tuks keeper, Washington Arubi, but missed the goal with a couple of centimetres.
Tuks and Aces both kept possession in the midfield with both sides looking to capitalise on any defensive mistake. Both managers also brought on the necessary substitutions to breathe some life into the match.
Tshidiso Tukane and Onyekachi Okonkwo supplied new energy to the Aces attack, while the experienced Bennet Chenene and Ntombayithethi took to the field for Tuks in the second half.
It was the latter who eventually broke the deadlock with a side-foot finish in front off goal after the former supplied the cross.
The goal sent the home team into celebration mode with three points from a hard-fought game.
Aces’ next PSL match is against the bottom of the log, Amazulu at the Mbombela Stadium.
Aces hope that home-ground advantage will count in their favour when they take on the men from KwaZulu-Natal who achieved a surprise 5-2 victory over Supersport United. over the weekend.
