SuperSport United beat Cape Town City on Saturday evening to complete a DStv Premiership double through Eric Tinkler.
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Matsatsantsa A Pitori won 2-0 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
New recruit Zakhele Lepasa immediately got the good books from SuperSport supporters, who were impressed with his good running and touch, which received cheers from the Matsatsantsa A Pitori faithful. But in the end, youngster Thapelo Maskeo was SuperSport’s saving grace.
Lepasa was involved in the build-up to Maseko’s goal as he worked hard to pace City’s defense to gain control of the ball before releasing it to Siphesihle Ndlovu, who found Maseko waiting in the goalmouth. Maseko fired past Darren Keet to give Spartans the lead in the 18th minute.
Lepasa is perhaps the fan favourite, as the SuperSport No.10 jersey came so close to finding the back of the net on his United debut.
The Orlando Pirates player, who is on loan for the rest of the season, met Grant Margerman in the box, who played an unexpected cross in the path of Lepasa. However, the lanky striker was caught flat-footed when the ball came to his feet, and ended up just taping the ball into Keet’s hands.
Youngster Jamie Webber could have doubled United’s lead in the final five minutes of the opening stanza. It was Lepasa again who fought for the ball and won it outside the box and laid it on Ndlovu, who then found Webber in a good position.
He fired a shot on the volley and as it flew, it looked as if it was going to the roof of the net, but defender Taariq Fielies dived to hold the ball into the corner, avoiding City’s blushes.
Own goal
In the second stanza, the sides continued to exchange blows, but nothing really landed until the dying moments of the game. City looked for an equalizer and sent keeper Keet to add to the tally from a corner kick.
But it didn’t go according to script as United won the ball and Gamphani Lungu fired in a shot that looked like it would have gone straight for touch, but Darwin Gonzalez turned the ball into the back of his own net.