The Multichoice Diski Challenge Black Leopards team might have failed to impress their home crowd in their opening Diski Cup Competition match at the Thohoyandou Stadium last Sunday, but they have something to be proud of. Their goalkeeper, Matome Rakau, was nominated the Man of the Match.
Lidoda Duvha lost 0-2 to Mamelodi Sundows. The game was the first official match for the Leopards' newly appointed assistant coaches, Sello Chokoe and Mongezi Bobe. Chokoe and Bobe are not new names on Black Leopards' books. Bobe played for the Thohoyandou outfit for several seasons before his promotion to assistant to the then Leopards' head coach, Mr Joel Masutha.
Chokoe worked as Black Leopards' head coach for one season before leaving for Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) where he stayed for a season and a half before parting ways with Vhadau Vha Damani three months ago.
Khomotso Rachoene scored Sundowns' opening goal with a half volley on the stroke of half time. Leopards effected three changes in the last half, but that was not good enough to stop Sundowns from increasing the margin to 2-0 in the 74th minute. Thabang Sibanyoni scored the visitors' second goal.
Black Leopards are in the third position in group C, following the defeat. Polokwane City are leading the group with three points. City, or Arise and Shine, beat their neighbours, Baroka FC, 3-0 in the group's opening match on Saturday. Sundowns are in the second spot with three points as well.
In the other matches that were played at the Thohoyandou Stadium last weekend, Kaizer Chiefs beat Highlands Park 3-1 while Bidvest Wits lost 1-2 to Orlando Pirates.