Tuks rout Polokwane City at home
Polokwane City saw their seven-match unbeaten run come to a halt when they succumbed to the University of Pretoria 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon at the waterlogged Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Two braces from Geoffrey Massa and Thabo Mnyamane, as well a single goal from Atusaye Nyondo gave the visitors the deserved three points and avenged the 1-0 first round loss.
Cole Alexander scored for City.
Kostadin Papic’s men took the game to Tuks from the early stages of the match in search of the opener with Jabu Maluleke taking a shot in the third minute, but his attempt flew wide.
In the tenth minute Puleng Tlolane gave Sammy Troughton’s men a scare when his shot went wide after a brilliant pass in the box from Tshepo Molala.
Two minutes later, Atusaye Nyondo’s goal was disallowed for an infringement on Molala.
It was evident that both sides were heading to the tunnel with no goals as Massa was denied by Visser from a set-piece out of the box.
The second stanza started like a house on fire, however, it was the visitors who found the net when Thabo Myamane capitalised on Visser’s errors - the keeper failed to hold on to a shot and he finished with ease.
City then probed for an equaliser and their manoeuvre in the middle of the park was fruitful when midfielder Cole Alexander’s 55th minute left-footed strike beat Arubi.
Both goalkeepers were kept busy in the second half when Ronald Ketjijere’s 63rd solo effort was saved by Visser after beating two defenders.
Minutes later, Arubi surprisingly saved a diving header from Esau Kanyenda after a pin point cross from Joseph Musonda from the left flank.
Beautiful interplay between the visitors saw them making an entry into the hosts’ penalty area and Myamane found Nyondo who easily slotted the ball into the net with his right foot.
Tuks gave City no time to plan their way back and managed to find another goal through Massa in the 76th minute.
With six minutes to go, the hosts could not find their way through as another effort by the Ugandan found its way to the back of the net with a low thunderbolt to make it 4-1.
Troughton’s charges continued to search for goals and Mnyamane unleashed a powerful shot leaving Visser beaten, 5-1.
The win takes them to position 13 while the Citizens remain at nine on the Absa premiership log standings.
Polokwane City: (0) 1 (Alexander 55’)
University of Pretoria: (0) 5 (Mnyamane 47’ & 87’, Nyondo 74’, Massa 76’, 84’)
Polokwane City: Visser, Molala, Tema, Musonda, Motumi, Maluleke, Alexander, Langa (Bogere 67’), Majafa (Ndou 76’), Kanyenda, Tlolane
University of Pretoria: Arubi, Ngubane, Shoyisa, Jaure (Maruping 90’), Kekana, Mosadi, Ketjijere, Matsi, Mnyamane, Massa (Mukamba 86’), Nyondo (Ntombayithethi 76’)