Rospa United registered their first victory in a league match this season, when they overpowered Baobab Zero Fake 3-0 in their Safa second division league match at a packed Malamulele Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors from Tzaneen, Zero Fake, approached the game aggressively. The referee, Mr Thabelo Tshienda, warned a defender of Zero Fake, Leoga Ngwana, with a card seven minutes into the game for obstruction.
Rospa threatened to score in the 14th minute. Ndumeliso Mabulele dished a pre-cooked pass to his captain, Mashudu "Tlolo" Mashapha, and waited inside the box for a return pass from Mashapha. Instead of returning the pass to the unmarked Mabulele, Mashapha chose to try his luck. His volley went wide, much to the disappointment of the team's fans.
Their opening goal came in the 29th minute. The overlapping defender, Sbusiso Hlabangu, hooked the ball in, following a neat cross by Ntanganedzeni Sivhugwana. Marks Munyai of Rospa was booked for a dangerous tackle on Touch Shokane, three minutes before the break.
United were the first to effect a change to their starting line-up. They introduced Isaac Makhuvha for Jeffrey Mazibuko early in the second half. Mashudu Mashapha scored the second goal when he blasted in a rocket from the edge of the penalty box, after beating the offside trap.
Zero Fake lost their original fighting spirit as the game progressed. That gave Rospa United a good chance to score their third goal. Ndumeliso Mabulele was on target in the 79th minute. He beat the keeper with a ground cutter, following a neat pass from Mashudu Mashapha.