Thanda win five goal thriller

IT was Sir Alex Ferguson who uttered the immortal ‘Football? Bloody hell!’ comment after his Man United side had come from nowhere to win the 1998 European Cup with two very late goals.

The same words are apt to describe Thanda Royal Zulu’s bizarre 3-2 victory over mid-table Witbank Spurs at the uMhlathuze Stadium on Saturday.

Five first half goals were scored in a combined six minutes of play, with the other 84 of the 90 minutes comprising end-to-end attacks that entertained greatly but produced no goals.

Amabhubesi were 1-0 up in the 11th minute when Mazwi Mncube deftly pulled down a cross from the right, manoeuvred it onto his left foot, cut outside his marker and left visiting keeper Briace Msiza helpless as he slotted coolly into the far corner.

Two minutes later Thanda were back on the hunt and with the ball bobbling around in the Spurs’ box it was Chistopher Komane who got the vital touch – no goal line technology available but the linesman was well positioned to see the ball split two defenders and trickle across the line.

The game had barely restarted when another Thanda attack saw the ball parried by Msiza into the path of Michael Gumede, who picked his spot to perfection to drill his side into a 3-0 lead after just 15 minutes.

The game was being played under a scorching sun and in high humidity, Spurs were wilting, and a score of cricketing proportions looked likely.

The home boys were providing scintillating football, solid on defence, terrier-like in midfield and creative up front, but for some inexplicable reason they took their foot off the gas and gradually allowed the shell-shocked visitors to gain confidence.

Witbank scored twice in two minutes as the first stanza drew to a close, both goals the result of dubious defending.

The fair-sized crowd must have expected another fistful of goals as the teams returned to the pitch, but this never happened even though there were shots aplenty and lots of opportunities from both sides.

In the end Thanda were well worth the three points they earned and after two good showings are giving locals hope that they will start climbing the NFD ladder and soon move out of the relegation zone.