A wet and wild affair in ABC Motsepe League
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The visitors from Alexandra came out firing on all cylinders, determined to take advantage of the opportunity to claw back points in the title race. From the first whistle, Gomora looked hungry, piling early pressure on the home side with a flurry of attacks and back-to-back corners.
Their persistence paid off midway through the first half when they were awarded a penalty following a defensive lapse from Wits. Up stepped Thapelo Maleka, who calmly slotted it home to the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way, to give his side the lead and swing the momentum firmly in Gomora's favour.
But Wits was not ready to roll over just yet. Mfumo Khosa came close to equalising when his thunderous strike rattled the post, while Obakeng Rathebe's shot hit the side netting as the home side started to build momentum towards the end of the half. Despite the late surge from Wits, Gomora took a narrow 1-0 lead into the break.
The second half was all about Gomora. Despite heavy rain making conditions tough underfoot, the visitors maintained their composure and possession, turning the screws on Wits' defence. Roger Majafa had an early chance to double the lead but sent his shot wide.
Gomora continued to turn up the pressure, and their dominance finally bore fruit when Sydney Tsoane delivered a sublime curling cross into the box. Majafa made no mistake this time, latching onto the delivery and firing past the keeper to make it 2-0, emphatically sealing the result.
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Wits tried to rally late on, but their efforts fell short against a resolute Gomora defence. As the final whistle blew, the visitors walked away with three crucial points, moving to 64 on the table with a game in hand. Highlands Park remains top with 71.
Wits, meanwhile, remain in 8th place on 40 points, with coach Kgabo Ditsebe admitting the penalty was a turning point.
'We tried our best to contain them in the first half. After the penalty, everything changed. We lost the ball too much in the central areas, and although we pushed our forwards up, it didn't work out.'
Ditsebe remained optimistic, stressing the importance of making the most of their remaining fixtures. 'Every game now is crucial. We have to push for better results going forward.'
As the title race heats up, Gomora FC are showing no signs of slowing down, and with form like this, Highlands Park will be watching their rearview mirror closely.
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