Stars brush aside United

Second half goals from Henrico Botes and Robert Ng’ambi ensured that Platinum Stars safely negotiated their way into the quarterfinals of the Telkom Knockout.

Dikwena defeated Maritzburg United 2-0 at the Moruleng Stadium on Sunday afternoon in their last 16 clash.

The Stars defence fell to sleep early on as United nearly took the lead just two minutes into the match. Stars keeper Siyabonga Mpontshane did well to save a shot, but he parried it onto the path of Michael Morton who from six-yards out blasted his effort over the bar.

Stars soon found their groove and their assault on the United defence was primarily lead by the impressive Ng’ambi.

The former Black Leopards midfielder created space for himself on the wing and unleashed a shot from range which United keeper Shu-Aib Walters parried away in the 14^th minute.

He had another shot saved by Walter two minutes later which was a tame effort from close range.

Both sides would go into the half time break with the score at 0-0.

United went into the interval sweating on the fitness of midfielder Morton who injured his wrist in the final minutes of the first half. Morton was replaced by former Bafana Bafana stalwart Delron Buckley at the start of the second 45.

In the 49^th minute the home side took the lead as they exposed the United defence. The ball was supplied from the right flank which connected with experienced striker Botes and the Namibian scored from a tight angle to make it 1-0.

                                                                                   

United were dealt a second injury enforced change which this time was more serious than the first. Their left-back Ruben Cloete suffered a head injury and had to be stretched off the field and into an ambulance in the 56^th minute of the match.

On the hour mark Stars doubled their lead. After some lovely inter-changing passes between the Stars forwards, the ball fell into the path of Ng’ambi who arrived late into the box and placed the ball into the back of the net from about 12-yards out on goal, 2-0.

Platinum Stars (0) 2 (Botes 49’, Ng’ambi 60’)

Maritzburg United (0) 2

Stars: Mpontshane; Mere, Gumede, Mhlongo, Ngwepe; Issa, Ng'ambi (Chinyama 85’), Msomi (Mathe 73’), Tshabalala, Nyanda; Botes (Ngele 78’)

United: Walters; Cloete (Mathuka 56’), Johannes, Booysen, Awal; Morton (Buckley 46’), De Jongh, Zulu (Sheppard 73’), Nkosi, Mkhize; Sekotlong

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