Stars and Happy Boys in thrilling draw

After losing 1-2 to Gwamasenga United Brothers at the Gwamasenga grounds the previous day, Cobra Stars rectified some of their mistakes and held their neighbours, Duthuni Happy Boys, to a 2-2 draw in their MMK Administrators League match at the Tshisaulu Mmbengeni Kone grounds on Sunday.

The game was played at a see-saw pace, with the teams creating and wasting scoring opportunities.

The visitors from Duthuni came close to scoring in the ninth minute. Their lethal striker, Pfunzo Ratshili, received a neat pass from Tshifhiwa Mphadzha within the penalty box. He chose to unleash aimlessly, however. The ball went astray, much to the fans’ disappointment.

Happy Boys did not lose hope; instead, they continued to play like a team, with their midfielders creating some dangerous moves from the middle of the park. Their efforts were finally rewarded when Tshifhiwa Mphadzha, the team’s captain, went loose from the left corner and beat the keeper.

The goal seemed to be an insult to the home side. They took the game to the visitors and in the 28^th minute they found the equalizer. Nditsheni Manthakha beat the keeper with a half volley from a free kick.

Happy Boys lost their original fighting spirit towards the end of the first half after Cobra Stars took the lead in the 40^th minute. Masha Masutha headed home, following a corner kick by Ndamulelo Maphangwa.

Both sides effected two changes in the last half. The referee, Mr TR Ndwammbi, flashed only one yellow card in the game. Mpho Mushavhanamadi of Happy Boys tackled Mishumo Mathoho the rough way and Ndwammbi was quick to flash yellow. Unarine “Kabila” Mukwevho scored the Boys’ equalizer in the dying minutes of the game.

Date:19 December 2019

By: Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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