Staff Reporter.
Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila secure a vital 2-0 away win over TS Galaxy at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg
TTM secured the victory – their first in the league since February – thanks to goals from Brandon Theron and Thabo Rakhale, with the result pushing them out of the relegation playoff zone and up to 14th. Chippa United dropped into the red zone.
As for Galaxy, this result confirms a hat-trick of league defeats and sees them remain in eighth place on the log, though nearest chasers Kaizer Chiefs are just two points behind and now have two games in hand.
Mxolisi Machupu should have put Galaxy ahead as early as the third minute, as he met a left-flank cross from Masilake Phohlongo but timed his header wrong and failed to hit the target from close range.
Tshakhuma struggled to put together attacking moves for the majority of the first half, though they began to enjoy some promising passing passages as the halftime interval approached and were rewarded with a goal in the 42nd minute.
A throw in down the line put Tokelo Rantie into space down the left flank and he pulled a low ball back to pick out Brandon Theron, who showed composure among several Galaxy defenders before scoring with a deflected shot which wrong-footed goalkeeper Wensten van der Linde.
Galaxy thought they had pulled a goal back seven minutes later when Wadey Lekay provided an emphatic finish, but he was incorrectly flagged offside, while injury time saw the same player miss out from a penalty kick, as Washington Arubi dived to his right to seal a key win for Vhadau Vha Damani.
Tshakhuma will be back in DStv Premiership action on April 20 with a home match against Maritzburg United, while Galaxy’s next league clash is away to AmaZulu four days later.
Meanwhile Cape Town City have broken an eight-game winless run in the DStv Premiership by defeating SuperSport United 3-0 at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The result, secured by goals from Fagrie Lakay, Mpho Makola and Tshreeq Morris, sees the Citizens record a first league victory since late January, though they remain in seventh place on the log. Matsatsantsa, whose coach Kaitano Tembo had his 100th game in charge, drop to fifth on goal difference, with Orlando Pirates rising above them.
City and SuperSport will return to DStv Premiership action on April 21 when they face Kaizer Chiefs away and Golden Arrows at home respectively.