Morning Stars Lacoste wrapped up their Sasol Women's League programme with a 0-1 loss to Mandebele Happy Fighters at the Guvhukuvhu grounds on Saturday.
Morning Stars had only pride at stake in the match as they were 12 points ahead of the fourth-placed side, Moria Sweepers, before their match on Saturday.
Although they had nothing to lose in the match, Stars did not sit back and relax. Instead, they initiated numerous promising moves from the middle of the park in search of goals. Fighters abandoned their positions in the first 30 minutes of the game and relied mostly on counterattacks.
Tshisevhe Lidzebe, the Stars' centre forward, caused an upset on two occasions towards the end of the first half. She received a neat pass from Munei Nemuramba just outside the box five minutes before the half-time whistle. Lidzebe did the unexpected by shooting aimlessly at goal. The ball went far wide. As if that was not enough to stir up the team's fans, Lidzebe went loose again on the stroke of half time. This time round she held on to the ball for far too long until she lost possession.
Realizing that there was nothing to fear, Happy Fighters started to play attacking football in the last half. Karabo Madisha, the Fighters' keeper, made her presence felt in the 64th minute. This after Munei Nemuramba tried her luck with a long-range half volley. Madisha stretched to the limit to execute a brilliant save.
The goal that earned Happy Fighters three league points came via Moshike Shai in the 78th minute. She hooked in the ball, following a scramble within the box.
Fighters played defensive football in the remaining part of the game as a way of maintaining their lead.