Mhofu's Black Leopards gain PSL promotion

Thohoyandou - The day has finally come for Black Leopards who secured a well-deserved return to the top flight by beating Bay United 2-0 in their PSL Promotional Playoff final second leg at Tshifanani Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Leopards were the first to settle with the visitors struggling to come to terms with the bumpy surface at the 1500 capacity stadium.

Khetho Masuku made Umlilo gloveman Modiri Marumo pull out all the stops in the opening five minutes with a stunning strike that seemed destined for the top corner. The bleached bomber made a nuisance of himself with a couple of incisive runs early on.

Lidoda Duvha enjoyed the early possession advantage but even Sunday Chidzambwa must have been surprised when they took the lead in the ninth minute.

Captain Mongezi Bobe found Raymond Monama in space on the right flank and the Bay defence could not close the midfielder down before he produced a left-footed shot that somehow found its way through a cluster of players and past the unsighted Marumo into the right corner.

Bay responded in positive fashion through veteran Dukes Machaka who latched on to a rebound with a fine strike that went narrowly wide in the 12th minute.

Fate contrived to produce a muti minute in the 14th minute, when NFD leading scorer Rodney Ramagalela struck the crossbar twice with identical headers both from two pin-point Robert Ng'ambi crosses.

Bay United began to find their feet as the half progressed and Ivorian frontman Brice Aka saw two snap-shots on the half-hour fly over the crossbar.

Leopards keeper Azwindini Maphaha put another one in the photo album when he defied gravity to stop Aka's acrobatic shot which had taken a nasty bounce in the 35th minute.

Bay did get the ball in the net five minutes from time but Nontshinga's close-range strike was disallowed under controversial circumstances because of a foul on Maphaha. Umlilo were unlucky not to concede just before half-time when Ramagalela skinned Simphiwe Sithole on the counter but Bobe could not put the cross away.

Bay started the second stanza brightly and Charles Gallagher came close to equalising with a well-taken free-kick that shaded the post.

The visitors flattered to deceive however and it was soon backs to the wall for the men in red. Mashedi Phadu had to make a goal-line clearance to prevent Leopards going further ahead after Marumo had spilled a teasing cross, inviting Ramagalela to fire in a strike.

The Botswana international was again at fault when the home side did indeed find a second in the 56th minute.The tempo looked to have fallen and the Bay defenders were all at sea when Tshabalala's innocuous cross was met with a firm header by captain fantastic Bobe, the ball rolling to the corner of the net as Marumo stumbled.

Umlilo were gifted with a glimmer of hope when the excellent Maphaha was forced off injured, having played his part, with untried reserve keeper Thabang Maluleke taking the gloves just after the hour mark.

Bay United coach Major David Bright rang the changes in hope of finding a way back but it was not to be. Leopards even managed to find a third which was correctly disallowed because of offside.

Black Leopards make a deserved return to the division they spent seven seasons campaigning in while Bay United will once again do battle in the NFD, having played a total of six post-season games with no reward.

Teams:
Black Leopards: Maphaha (Maluleke 62'), Nyirenda, Vezi, Kwena, Monama (Manaka 85'), Masanabo (Metsi 60'), Masuku, Tshabalala, Bobe, Ng'ambi, Ramagalela

Bay United: Marumo, Galane, Ngalo, Sithole, Mkhabela, Phadu, Nontshinga (Zondi 68'), Gallagher, Ramulondi (Sikhwivhilu 46'), Machaka (Yekiso 57'), Aka

Goals: Raymond Monama 9', Mongezi Bobe 56' (Leopards)