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Highlands Park win promotion to the PSL while Tuks are condemned to relegation

Highlands Park players celebrate after beating the University of Pretoria at Makhulong. Pic Veli Nhlapo
Highlands Park players celebrate after beating the University of Pretoria at Makhulong. Pic Veli Nhlapo

Highlands Park won promotion to the Premier Soccer League after making short shrift of the promotion-relegation play-offs and winning a third game in a row to take an unassailable lead in the standings as Peter Shalulile scored both goals in Wednesday’s 2-0 home victory over Mbombela United.

The Tembisa-based club‚ invoking the name of one of the grand old dames of the South African game‚ beat their visitors in front of a decent crowd at the Makhulong Stadium to win a third play-off match and amass nine points‚ which means they can no longer be caught.

The result relegates the University of Pretoria down to the National First Division after four successive seasons in the top-flight.

A horror defensive error from Mbombela‚ who were seeking to go from the third tier of the domestic game to the PSL in successive seasons‚ handed Highlands an early lead from which they laid the platform for their success.

Shalulile profited from an errant kick out from visiting goalkeeper Thuto Xaba‚ who got no distance on his clearance and instead played it straight at the Namibian international‚ who accurately scored from the edge of the area into an open net after just 13 minutes.

He added a second after slaloming through the Mbombela defence‚ helped by a lucky bounce but showing great composure to stick the ball into the back of the net for a second in the 82nd minute.

Shalulile was also involved in creating several other chances for Highlands to extend their lead with the likes of Nicolas Boke and Mothobi Mvala missing out.

Boke headed wide after Mvala’s striker on the half-hour mark and had another opportunity 10 minutes into the second half before being taken off.

Mvala was set up for a good chance in the 60th minute as veteran defender Rudi Isaacs went forward to assist in the build-up.

Mbombela looked lively at times‚ putting Highlands under pressure inside the opening two minutes and coming close through Lebohang Maboe in the 22nd minutes. But in the second half they looked mere spectators as Highlands ran the show on their way to promotion.

Wednesday’s result means the last two matches of the play-off process will be of academic interest only.

Mbombela will host relegated AmaTuks on Saturday and Highlands can only go off for what will be a brief holiday when they go away to AmaTuks next Wednesday‚ June 22.

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