Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole scored his second goal for CD Tondela, as Thembinkosi Lorch played a vital role in Wydad AC’s win over the weekend.
The bulk of SA stars plying their trade outside the country had a low-key weekend. However, Sithole and Lorch were outstanding for CD Tondela and Wydad AC, respectively.
CD Tondela registered an emphatic 5-1 win over SC Vila Real in the third round of the Taรงa de Portugal, with Sithole being one of the goal scorers, netting his second goal for the Portuguese outfit this season. The match was played at the Complexo Desportivo Do Monte Forca on Sunday.
Mihlali Mayambela scored in the Limassol derby as Aris Limassol thrashed AEL Limassol 5-0 at the Alphamega Stadium on Sunday, with Luther Singh on the losing side.
In the Saudi Pro League, Elias Mokwana was in action for 63 minutes as Al-Hazm beat Al Akhdoud 2-1 at Prince Hathloul bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mohau Nkota was on the receiving end as Al-Ettifaq lost 5-0 to Al-Hilal on Saturday at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium.
DRY WEEKEND FOR SA STARS IN USA
In the Major League Soccer [MLS], Bongokuhle Hlongwane played 90 minutes as Minnesota United suffered a 2-1 loss to LA Galaxy at the Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
Additionally, Bradley Carnell’s Philadelphia Union lost 2-0 to Charlotte FC at the Bank of America Stadium, with SA defender Olwethu Makhanya playing the whole match. Furthermore, Jamie Webber was on parade as FC Tulsa drew 1-1 with El Paso Locomotive FC at Southwest University Park on Sunday.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, Yusuf Maart and Antonio Van Wyk were in action as SV Ried beat Wolfsberg 2-1 on Saturday at the Lavanttal-Arena. Maart played the whole match, while Van Wyk was substituted after 67 minutes.
Meanwhile, Bafana striker Lyle Foster was not in the team as Burnley FC beat Leeds United 2-0 in a league tie at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon. In a similar vein, Luke Le Roux was on the bench as Portsmouth FC drew 1-1 with Leicester City FC on Saturday at King Power Stadium in the English Championship.
GOOD OUTINGS FOR EX-SUNDOWNS TRIO RUSHINE DE REUCK, NEO MAEMA AND THEMBINKOSI LORCH
The former Mamelodi Sundowns duo, Rushine De Reuck and Neo Maema, were on parade as Simba SC beat Nsingizini Hotspurs 3-0 in a CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round first leg match at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Eswatini on Sunday. Similarly, Thembinkosi Lorch provided an assist as Wydad AC edged Asante Kotoko 1-0 in a CAF Confederations Cup Second Preliminary Round first leg match at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Elsewhere, defender Samukele Kabini was not in the Molde FK team that lost 3-1 to Sandefjord on Sunday evening at the Aker Stadion. In Belgium, Shandre Campbell was an unused substitute as Club Brugge beat Oud-Heverlee Leuven 1-0 at the Den Dreef on Saturday, while Cassius Mailula was not in action as Kortrijk FC beat KAA Gent 3-2 on Saturday.
In Romania, former Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana played the whole match as FCSB lost 2-1 to Metaloglobus Bucureลti on Saturday at the Stadion Metaloglobus. Defender Ime Okon remains sidelined due to injury. However, his club Hannover 96 suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Schalke on Saturday at the HDI-Arena.
ETHAN BROOKS PLAYS FIRST FULL MATCH IN GREECE
Ethan Brooks played the whole match as Panserraikos lost 2-1 to Volos in Greece on Sunday. The match was played at Panthessaliko Stadium.
Coach Rulani Mokwena saw his MC Alger play out a 1-1 draw against Colombe Sportive of Cameroon in a CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round first leg match at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundรฉ. On the other hand, Fadlu Davids’ Raja Club Athletic was not in action over the weekend and will resume action on Saturday, 25 October, against Olympique Dcheira.
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