Ablex FC beat Ollestads FC 1-0 in a Safa Limpopo ABC Motsepe league match played at the Louis Trichardt show grounds on Friday.
The match started at a fast pace, with both sides threatening the targets. Ablex missed a fortune in the eighth minute, when their striker, Mpho Mavhandu, beat keeper Keletso Mashiane but then shot wide with an empty net in front of him.
The match turned lukewarm towards the end of the first half. This was influenced by the fact that both sides were holding onto the ball for too long.
Ollestads spent the better part of the first half running around like headless chickens as Ablex was dictating terms in the middle of the park. Mphjeton Phiri and Philip Matebane were instructed to contain Ablex' sleading goal scorers, Erasmus Baloyi and Owen Thuto. Mpho Mavhandu gave the defence of Ollestads a tough time.
In the last five minutes of the first half, Ollestads showed that they meant business by going forward fiercely. The demon striker, Thabo Chueni, beat the off-side trap and ran straight to the stranded keeper. His attempt went wide.
In the second half, Mutshidzi Ndou and Rudzani Munyai of Ablex were cautioned by referee Rooi Mulaudzi for rough tackling, while Tetelo Sepopela was reprimanded for faking an injury.
The only goal of the match came in the 78th minute. Owen Thuto received a pre-cooked pass from his captain, Raymond Sinugo, and caught Ollestads' keeper off guard. Ollestads came back strongly in the last half, but they could not find their way through the defence of Ablex.