Middelburg United FC secured a comfortable 2–0 victory over Carolina Young Boys FC in their ABC Motsepe Foundation clash at the Themba Senamela Stadium on Saturday (October 3).

Capitalising on home advantage, Middelburg United applied pressure from the start and took the lead in the eighth minute through a goal from Ntsikelelo Nyauza.

Although United continued to launch direct attacks, they were initially unable to extend their lead in the opening 20 minutes.

Carolina Young Boys threatened midway through the first half when Sibusiso Dlamini forced a fine save from Middelburg goalkeeper Mlungisi Shongwe in the 27th minute.

As the match grew increasingly physical, the referee was forced to issue several yellow cards before blowing for half-time with Middelburg United leading 1-0.

Swift counter-attack seals the points

Middelburg United doubled their lead on the hour mark when a swift counter-attack down the right wing allowed Thando Mncube to score after beating Carolina Young Boys goalkeeper Thembalethu Nkosi.

Carolina Young Boys responded by introducing additional defenders to prevent further damage, but were unable to mount a successful comeback, leaving Middelburg to claim all three points.

Middelburg United head coach John Ferreira reflected on the win, emphasising the necessity of securing three points at home after being defeated in their previous game against Phaphama FC.

“Our previous game was a psychological setback, we had total control and possession, but lost. It was a necessary wake-up call to bring us back down to earth. [On Saturday], we consolidated with a couple of positional changes,” he said.

“Carolina Young Boys played with energy and determination, but we knew it was vital not to concede at home. The second goal came from a fine team move around six or seven passes which we rehearse frequently in training. We now have nine points, and Phezulu FC have 12, and keeping a clean sheet at home remains crucial for our league campaign.”

Carolina Young Boys search for first win

On the other side, Carolina Young Boys head coach Vusi Nkambule said they must go back to the drawing board to identify and fix their mistakes. Carolina Young Boys have not won a single match this season.

“Our squad has changed significantly this season, bringing in many young players from the SAB League, who are still adapting. Despite the result, the team’s performance is improving match by match. Our main issue lies in the final third; we created two clear chances in the first half that we failed to convert. We must focus on our attacking play and work on taking our chances,” Nkambule said.

Middelburg United are in second position on the log with nine points after four games, with three wins and one loss.

Middelburg United will play Bukho Stars FC in the qualifier of the Nedbank Cup last 32 at the Volksrust Showgrounds on October 10.