You’d think Thuso Phala has forgotten all he owes to the Stars such was his performance against them.
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Johannesburg –Talk about biting the hand that fed you. Thuso Phala owes just about everything he knows about football to the Stars. It is the club that first gave him a taste of the game at professional level, having played at the club in two spells that spanned the side’s history as first Silver Stars and now Platinum Stars.
Not only did he earn his spurs at the club, but even his mother served the club for many years, the Phala household literally earning their livelihood at Stars.
You’d have sworn Phala had forgotten all this here yesterday, such was his inspired performance which saw SuperSport usurp Dikwena as Telkom Knockout champions.
His stunning goal will no doubt remain etched in the memory of this year’s tournament, the winger’s slaloming run past two defenders before slotting home a sweetly-struck shot past Siyabonga Mpontshane.
But he did more than just score that goal, Phala having won the penalty that gave Matsatsantsa a 2-1 lead via Clayton Daniels’ conversion, the captain also netting the equaliser from the spot in the first half.
He had said before the match that he would put his emotions aside to help his new club to silverware, and you knew he meant business when he created the match’s first chance as early as the fourth minute.
Using his pace and skill, he beat Luvolwethu Mpeta to deliver a cross Mpontshane failed to handle only for Lebogang Manyama to spill it. Confident he had the beating of his marker Mpeta, Phala toyed with the Stars right-back and continuously delivering dangerous crosses.
Typical of a cup final though, this one could so easily have gone the other way and Stars will feel they should have wrapped it up at the end of the first half of extra time.
In a stanza that produced a crazy three minutes which saw first Daniels put SuperSport ahead with his second penalty before Mogakolodi Ngele equalised with a superb half-volley, Eleazar Rodgers had a chance to put Stars ahead. But from a spot-kick gained after Thabo Moloi handled in the box, the lanky striker was twice denied by Ronwen Williams.
The young goalkeeper stopped Rodgers’ first attempt and then leapt back into action to again push the ball out when the Capetonian took a second bite from the rebound.
It was the turning point of the game, though it appeared the match could well be decided via a shoot-out.
But Phala received the ball on the right and, as he had done all day, ran at Mpeta, whom he left for dead before rendering Thabiso Semenya redundant and shoot into the net.
It was a superb goal, worthy of a final that seesawed from brilliant to tepid between halves – the first one being played at a high intensity and the second like a Sunday kick-about.
Still, there were chances even during this half that could have decided the match before the extended time.
Before the goals, Dove Wome forced a splendid save out of Mpont-shane with a bullet-like shot from the edge of the box on 10 minutes and, from the resultant corner, Manyama’s low shot was cleared off the line with the Stars keeper nowhere.
Stars’ first chance came on 13 minutes when Ronwen Williams got off his line and blasted the ball against Rodgers in an attempted clearance. Ng’ambi lobbed towards goal but Williams was quick to run back and fist out for a corner.
SuperSport had a seemingly legitimate penalty appeal turned down on 19 minutes after a brilliant interchanging of passes between Wome and Sibusiso Khumalo ended with the latter being hacked in the box.
And when ref Thando Ndzanzeka gave them a spot-kick that was never on, Daniels equalised. It looked as though the ref was making up for his initial error, though.
Stars had taken the lead through Ng’ambi, the Malawian profiting from some persistent play by Rodgers, who chased the ball on the far left, kept it in play and delivered for Ndumiso Mabena to set up the scorer. Ng’ambi shot the ball low and hard past the diving Williams.
Then extra time came, producing those crazy three minutes before Phala put a sword through his former club’s hearts to give joy to Matsatsantsa. – Sunday Independent
Matshelane Mamabolo
Orlando Stadium
SuperSport United (1) 3
Daniels 34 pen, 102 pen; Phala 110
Platinum Stars (1) 2
Ng’ambi 28; Ngele 103
After extra time
from Soccer Soccer Extended RSS http://www.iol.co.za/ex-stars-ace-wins-final-for-supersport-1.1788471
