MATSHELANE MAMABOLO
ADVANTAGE AMATUKS!
The University of Pretoria put themselves in the driving seat of the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs via a 1-0 victory over Baroka FC courtesy of a late Kamohelo Pheehane goal at the Tuks Stadium.
Winless in an incredible eight matches since they held Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup, only to lose via a penalty shoot-out, the university outfit made a flying start to the three-way battle for a place in the country’s elite league.
Though they were made to look for the ball for most of the 90 minutes, AmaTuks knew that all they had to do was stop their ball-playing adversaries from finding their net and wait for an opportunity to pounce.
Their goalkeeper Edward Maova – who asked to be excused from Namibian national duty in the Cosafa Cup to be involved in the play-offs – ensured they kept a clean sheet with some fantastic saves in both halves, and all AmaTuks had to do was patiently work towards creating a scoring chance.
That opportunity came with just two minutes of regulation play remaining when veteran Samuel Julies stole the ball deep in the visitors’ half and expertly threaded a through pass to Pheehane, who slotted the winner past Boalefa Pule. Cue wild celebrations on the bench as well as in the stands and, one dare say, in the heavens too as loud thunder rolled immediately thereafter on a wet Pretoria afternoon.
Coach Tlisane Motaung could not hide his excitement, delighted that they gave themselves a fighting chance of joining the big boys in the elite league.
It is early days, though, with AmaTuks still needing to play three matches in the mini-league competition that also involves Richards Bay, who finished 15th in the Premiership. The two sides meet at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday and AmaTuks will no doubt make the trip down to KwaZulu-Natal cock-a-hoop after the victory over Baroka.
They will know, though, that they will have to be a little sharper on attack and most definitely not allow the Natal Rich Boys the same kind of ball possession they did Baroka. Too much dependency on Maova in the goals is not going to always work, not against a Richards Bay side that is sure to be confident, having finished the season on a high with successive victories over Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC.