SA footballers abroad continued to impress, with Thapelo Maseko scoring his second goal in Cyprus, while Rushine De Reuck, Gift Links, Ranga Chivaviro and Thembi Kgatlana found the back of the net for their respective clubs over the weekend.
Lyle Foster was absent as Burnley FC scored a 93rd-minute equaliser to hold Chelsea 1-1 in an English Premier League match played at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
In the English Championship, Luke Le Roux was on the bench for Portsmouth FC as they picked up another valuable away win with a 3-1 victory at third-placed Millwall FC on Saturday at The Den. Tylon Smith was not in the team as QPR beat Hull City FC 3-1 to keep alive their play-off aspirations at the MKM Stadium on Saturday.
The Major League Soccer [MLS] resumed over the weekend, with Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Puso Dithejane starting off their campaign on a losing note as Chicago Fire FC lost 2-1 to Houston Dynamo FC on Sunday morning at the Shell Energy Stadium.
Mbokazi was in the starting team while Dithejane was introduced in the second half. In addition, Bongokuhle Hlongwane was on parade in the same league for 65 minutes as Minnesota United settled for a 2-2 draw with Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Sunday morning.
Olwethu Makhanya started and played the full match for Philadelphia Union, earning a yellow card, as Bradley Carnell’s side lost their season opener to DC United at Audi Field on Sunday morning.
BANYANA BANYANA STAR THEMBI KGATLANA HIT GOOD STRIDES
Banyana Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana was on target for Tigres UANL Women on Saturday, helping her side secure a solid 2-0 victory over Club Universidad Nacional Femenil. The match was played at Estadio Universitario.
Linda Motlhalo was also on target in Scotland’s Scottish Women’s Premier League as Glasgow City FC cruised to a 4-0 win over Motherwell FC at K-Park on Sunday. She scored their third goal in the 42nd minute.
In the Saudi First Division, it was a clash of former Kaizer Chiefs stars Ranga Chivaviro and Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana. Chivaviro scored what could have been Al-Adalah’s winning goal, but Bimenyimana had the final say of the match, scoring a last-gasp equaliser to earn Jeddah Club a 2-2 draw in a match that was played on Thursday at Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium.
In the Saudi Pro League, Elias Mokwana was introduced in the second half as Al-Hazem Club was thumped by Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr 4-0 on Saturday at AL-AWWAL PARK Stadium in Riyadh. Mohau Nkota’s Al-Ettifaq will be in action against Al Qadsiah on Monday night at the Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium.
THAPELO MASEKO’S STOCK CONTINUES TO RISE IN CYPRUS
In the Cypriot First Division, Thapelo Maseko scored his second goal for AEL Limassol as they secured a 2-0 win over Paralimni on Friday at the ENP / Tasos Markou. Maseko’s stock continues to rise as he now commands a place in the starting team
The Mamelodi Sundowns loanee, Maseko, started the match along with his compatriot, Luther Singh, who has been a vital cog at the Cyprus club. Additionally, Mihlali Mayambela was missing in action as Omonoia FC lost 1-0 to Apoel FC at GSP Stadium on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Gift Links scored in AGF’s 5-2 thrashing of Viborg FF at the Ceres Park on Sunday, taking his tally to three goals and five assists in the Danish Superligaen. Meanwhile, Siyabonga Ngezana’s FCSB will be in action on Monday night against Metaloglobus Bucureลti in a Romanian SuperLiga match scheduled for Arena Naศionalฤ.
Furthermore, Sphephelo Sithole came on in the second half as CD Tondela secured a 2-0 win over Estrela Amadora in Liga Portugal, at Estรกdio Josรฉ Gomes on Friday. His team, CD Tondela, will resume action on March 1 when they take on Santa Clara at Estรกdio Joรฃo Cardoso.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, Antonio Van Wyk scored for SV Ried after 22 minutes, before WSG Tirol restored parity in the second half to force a 1-1 draw in a match played at Tivoli Stadion.
He has now scored in back-to-back matches for the club and has managed three goals and three assists in 18 games. Meanwhile, Yusuf Maart also played the entire match for SV Ried.
RULANI MOKWENA DEFEATED AS STEVE BARKER AND FADLU DAVIDS REGISTERED KEY WINS
Rulani Mokwena‘s MC Alger succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of MC Oran on Friday at Miloud Hadefi Stadium. That was Mokwena’s second defeat in the Algerian Ligue 1. However, MC Alger remains on top of the league with 36 points from 16 matches. They have four games in hand.
In Tanzania, Steve Barker’s Simba SC beat Tanzania Prisons 2-0 in a Tanzania Premier League match at Sokoine Stadium.
Rushine De Reuck scored their second goal of the match as he played the entire match while Neo Maema was on the bench. De Reuck was the Man of the Match for his outstanding performance in the tie played on Sunday.
In addition, Fadlu Davids’ Raja CA beat IR Tanger 2-0 in a Botola Pro 1 match played on Monday morning at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.
In the Egyptian Premier League, Fagrie Lakay played the full 90 minutes as Cleopatra FC fell 1-0 to Pyramids FC at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium on Friday.
Shandre Campbell was on the bench as Club Brugge edged Oud-Heverlee 2-1 in Belgium’s Pro League at Jan Breydel Stadium on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Percy Tau is set to take to the pitch in Vietnam’s V.League 1 on Tuesday, when The Cong host his Thep Xanh Nam Dinh at My Dinh National Stadium.
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