Baroka FC beaten by SAB team

THE South African Breweries (SAB) regional league club, Peace United, has finally taken the monkey off their backs when they progressed to the provincial stage of the lucrative Nedbank Cup.

United beat Mandebele Happy Fighters 3-1 before eliminating Baroka FC 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after regulation time in the district elimination matches played at the Steel Firm ground on Sunday afternoon.

The SAB league team was crowned Capricorn district champions.

United came out with guns blazing in their semi-final match against Happy Fighters. In a dramatic match that produced three penalties in a space of two minutes, it was a brace by Thapelo Seboya and powerful header from Andani Mabogo, which put United in the lead.

The Zebediela based Happy Fighters came out strongly in the second half but a poor finish let them down.

Baroka FC, who proceeded to the finals by default after their opponents, Ray Pillars, failed to honour the match, were favourites to become the district champions but they did not have the best of starts.

United opened the scoring through the brilliance of their skipper, Shaun Hlungwani, who dribbled past Baroka’s defence before unleashing a scorcher which gave Baroka goalkeeper, Bareng Maja, no chance.

United’s lead was short lived as Nehemia Mphahlele capitalised on goalkeeper Noko Selomo’s blunder to level matters.

Baroka FC thought they had wrapped up the match when they scored the second goal early in the second half, but a late equaliser from United meant the match would be decided on penalties.

United coach, Paen Nkhwashu, said he was happy for his players and praised them for showing the fighting spirit.

“We needed these results to boost our confidence, which had taken a nose dive following a string of poor results. We want to be in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup and we want to test our skills against PSL teams. It is still a long way to go but we are prepared to fight all the way,” Nkhwashiu said.

United goalkeeper, Selomo, was the hero of the day after he saved the penalty that put the game beyond Baroka’s reach.