Zambian international Ghampani Lungu scored late in the second half when United beat Black Leopards 1-0 in the Absa Premiership encounter.
Zambian international Ghampani Lungu scored late in the second half when United beat Black Leopards 1-0 in the Absa Premiership encounter.
The match was staged at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.
United brought back some of their regular team members who missed action in their last match against Polokwane City last week.
In the early stages of the first half visitors SuperSport created scoring opportunities as forward Bradley Grobler almost scored after receiving a pin-point delivery from Kuda Mahachi.
On the stroke of halftime Mahachi’s long range effort was saved by the Leopards keeper King Ndlovu who was equal to the task.
Both teams needed an early lead as the home side is fighting to avoid the axe whereas Matsatsantsa are looking to cement a place in the top three bracket
The halftime score was 0-0.
In the beginning of the second half United continued creating scoring opportunities and were denied by the Leopards keeper.
In the 51st minute veteran Clayton Daniels made way for Zimbabwean international Onismor Bhasera.
Bhasera’s introduction saw the Botswana international Thatayaone Dtlhokwe switching from left-back to partner the young Luke Fleurs in the centre-back.
A minute later Jamie Webber was cautioned following retribution for his teammate Sipho Mobile.
In the 60th minute Teboho Mokoena was also booked after a rough tackle to Leopards’ Tiklas Thutlwa.
Four minutes later coach Kaitano Tembo brought some new fresh as the big centre-forward Thamsanqa Gabuza replaced Mbule whereas Mahachi made way for Aubrey Modiba.
In the 70th minute the match went into the final cooling break with the score still goalless.
When the match resumed, young midfielder Jesse Donn came off the bench for Jamie Webber.
Subsequently, Abubakar Mumuni was fouled after he wrongfully made a contact to Modiba in to the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Grobler stepped up to take the spot-kick and the Leopards keeper King Ndlovu made a safe as the United forward missed a chance to increase his goal tally to 14 on the league’s top-goal-scorers’ chart.
Few minutes later Fleurs ballooned his close range effort over the post after he was set up by Thami Gabuza into the box from a set-piece.
In the dying stages of the match Lungu followed up Gabuza’s 50-50 challenge with the Leopards keeper with a late winning goal after the latter received a brilliant pass from Modiba.
This was a two in a row for Lungu in the Bio-Bubble after scoring the opening goal in their 2-0 win against Polokwane City in their last match.
In the four minutes of stoppage time which turned into more than five, Leopards put tremendous pressure to SuperSport as they fought to level matters.
Substitute Bhasera was the last United player to be cautioned in the 90+ minute.
The final score was 1-0 United and the victory moved them back to position three on the table.
SuperSport lineup:
Williams (captain), Kekana, Ditlhokwe, Fleurs, Daniels (Bhasera 52’), Mokoena, Mbule (Gabuza 65th), Webber (Donn 72nd), Mahachi (Modiba 65th), Grobler, Lungu
