UNIVERSITY of Johannesburg (UJ) lost 2-1 to University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on September 5 at the UJ campus in Soweto.
Both teams came into the game needing three points to close their campaign with a good run.
UJ and UKZN came to the match already out of the top four qualifying chance, but that did not stop them from giving their all.
Since the beginning of the current campaign, UJ only managed to secure a point out of three games, posing lots of questions regarding their technical staff and players.
UJ’s habit of letting visitors feel at home proved to be costly as UKZN captain Lungani Nhlengethwa handed the visitors an early lead with a cheek-dipping free kick within five minutes of play.
With only a few home fans on the stands, UJ tried to keep them cheering, but the home side, known as the orange army, failed to bridge UKZN’s defence.
In the midst of the match, UKZN allowed UJ to control match proceedings, but the home side couldn’t make something of their dominance.
In the second half, UJ was fired up and coach Mandla Zwane introduced attack-minded players to find an equaliser and salvage a win. UJ showed more hunger and pressed UKZN, throwing in more dangerous balls in the third half of UKZN, but the visitors allowed no prisoners in front of their goals.
It seemed as if UJ will find an equaliser, but it was the visiting side who gave the home side a sucker punch thanks to Bongumenzi Zulu.
Lesego Sebetlela quickly defused the deficit with a top-notch goal, but UKZN held on to receive three points.
