SUPERSPORT United suffered their first loss under Gordon Igesund in his four league matches, but the honeymoon was not supposed to end in such ignominy and heartbreak here last night.
For a team that had punished all before it to be hammered 4-1 by Maritzburg United suggested that the results of last month may have brushed over the club's problems and not necessarily solved them.
It was a victory to savour, though, for Maritzburg coach Steve Khomphela, who not so long ago lost the race to the Bafana Bafana job to Igesund. His frontman Terrence Mandaza's double made it all possible, while Mondli Cele and Mohammed Anas chipped in one each in the second half.
Manyama scored for Matsatsantsa in the 51st minute. There was a certain cluelessness about Matsatsantsa - unseen in the past two months - that was punished to damaging effect by Khomphela's business-minded boys.
Igesund watched his team regress towards the staleness they dished up in the early part of the season before his arrival. It was not just that the passes in the last third did not stick, but the network lines between midfield and attack were badly jammed.
The most basic on-field communication was also lacking, with Thuso Phala, Dove Wome and Lebohang Manyama guilty of this when target man Dino Ndlovu held the ball up.
l Nick Said writes that Ajax Cape Town survived a spirited late onslaught from Platinum Stars to secure three points with a 2-1 victory at Cape Town Stadium.
Ajax had looked to be cruising to a win when they dominated the first half and turned at the break 2-0 up, but Stars set up an uncomfortable closing few minutes as they finally found some fighting spirit.
The Urban Warriors will now travel to Orlando Pirates on Saturday for their Telkom Knockout clash with some confidence after goals from Cecil Lolo and Tashreeq Morris moved them back into second place in the table.
For Ea Lla Koto, a club crippled by the loss of key personnel at the end of last season, it was another deflating setback in a city where they have traditionally struggled.
They profited from a Rivaldo Coetzee own goal with 12 minutes remaining but could not force an equaliser.
It is now no league wins in six games for Allan Freese's side, and defeat in the Telkom quarterfinals against Chiefs on Sunday will mean giving back the second of the two trophies they won last season.
Maritzburg United stop Igesund in his tracks
SUPERSPORT United suffered their first loss under Gordon Igesund in his four league matches, but the honeymoon was not supposed to end in such ignominy and heartbreak here last night.
For a team that had punished all before it to be hammered 4-1 by Maritzburg United suggested that the results of last month may have brushed over the club's problems and not necessarily solved them.
It was a victory to savour, though, for Maritzburg coach Steve Khomphela, who not so long ago lost the race to the Bafana Bafana job to Igesund. His frontman Terrence Mandaza's double made it all possible, while Mondli Cele and Mohammed Anas chipped in one each in the second half.
Manyama scored for Matsatsantsa in the 51st minute. There was a certain cluelessness about Matsatsantsa - unseen in the past two months - that was punished to damaging effect by Khomphela's business-minded boys.
Igesund watched his team regress towards the staleness they dished up in the early part of the season before his arrival. It was not just that the passes in the last third did not stick, but the network lines between midfield and attack were badly jammed.
The most basic on-field communication was also lacking, with Thuso Phala, Dove Wome and Lebohang Manyama guilty of this when target man Dino Ndlovu held the ball up.
l Nick Said writes that Ajax Cape Town survived a spirited late onslaught from Platinum Stars to secure three points with a 2-1 victory at Cape Town Stadium.
Ajax had looked to be cruising to a win when they dominated the first half and turned at the break 2-0 up, but Stars set up an uncomfortable closing few minutes as they finally found some fighting spirit.
The Urban Warriors will now travel to Orlando Pirates on Saturday for their Telkom Knockout clash with some confidence after goals from Cecil Lolo and Tashreeq Morris moved them back into second place in the table.
For Ea Lla Koto, a club crippled by the loss of key personnel at the end of last season, it was another deflating setback in a city where they have traditionally struggled.
They profited from a Rivaldo Coetzee own goal with 12 minutes remaining but could not force an equaliser.
It is now no league wins in six games for Allan Freese's side, and defeat in the Telkom quarterfinals against Chiefs on Sunday will mean giving back the second of the two trophies they won last season.
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