Sports
SuperSport United Secures Convincing 3-1 Victory Over Richards Bay in Nedbank Cup
SuperSport United displayed a dominant performance as they outclassed Richards Bay 3-1 in a thrilling Nedbank Cup encounter at the King Zwelithini Stadium. The victory secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The teenage sensation, Shandre Campbell, stole the show with two well-taken goals in the first half, proving to be the difference between the two sides. This triumph was a sweet redemption for the Tshwane-based team, who had suffered a 1-3 defeat at the hands of Bay in their previous DStv Premiership clash.
It was SuperSport who drew first blood in the sixth minute, courtesy of Campbell’s brilliant strike from a free-kick that caught the Bay goalkeeper, Salim Magoola, off guard. The match had an early spark as Magoola was left disappointed by the awkward bounce of the ball.
In the 10th minute, Magoola redeemed himself with a crucial save to deny a close-range effort from Terrence Dzukamanja after a swift attacking move from United. Bay then had their own chances, with Somila Ntsundwana testing Ricardo Goss with a goal-bound effort.
As the game progressed, both teams had their share of opportunities, with SuperSport’s Onismor Bhasera almost scoring an own goal in the 35th minute. However, the highlight of the first half came when Bay was awarded a penalty after Ntsundwana was brought down in the box. Justice Figuareido stepped up, only to see his spot-kick saved by Goss.
Moments later, SuperSport capitalized on the missed penalty and extended their lead through Campbell’s clinical finish in the 44th minute. Bay made a quadruple substitution at the start of the second half, but it was not enough to contain the attacking threat posed by Matsatsantsa.
Despite Bay’s efforts to claw back into the game, they were left frustrated as Goss and the SuperSport defense stood firm. The tension rose when Sibusiso Mthethwa found the back of the net for Bay in the 85th minute, setting up a nervy ending to the match.
However, it was SuperSport who had the last laugh, as they capitalized on Bay’s late push forward and sealed the victory with a goal from Ghampani Lungu in injury time. The teams will now shift their focus back to league action, with Bay facing Golden Arrows away on 31 March, while SuperSport takes on the same opponents on 3 April.
