It was a good weekend in the office for SA coaches Steve Barker and Rulani Mokwena as Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi delivered a Man-of-the-Match performance in the Major League Soccer [MLS].
In the English Premier League, Lyle Foster was an unused substitute as Burnley FC suffered a 2-0 loss at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion. The match was played at Turf Moor on Saturday.
Additionally, Luke Le Roux was on the bench as Portsmouth FC beat Middlesbrough FC 1-0. The match was played at Riverside Stadium in the English Championship on Saturday. Tylon Smith was not in the Queens Park Rangers squad in their 0-0 draw with Bristol City FC. They played at the Loftus Road on Saturday.
In the MLS, Bongokuhle Hlongwane was introduced in the second half and played seven minutes as Minnesota United beat San Diego FC 2-1 at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday.
MBOKAZI NAMED MAN OF THE MATCH AT CHICAGO FIRE
Mbekezeli Mbokazi played the entire match as Chicago Fire FC beat Atlanta United 1-0 at Soldier Field on Sunday. Puso Dithejane was introduced in injury time. The former Orlando Pirates star Mbokazi was, as usual, sterling and was voted Man of the Match.
SA coach Bradley Carnell finally got it right in Philadelphia Union after seven attempts when they beat Montrรฉal 1-0 in another MLS match played at Saputo Stadium on Saturday.
In the USL Championship, Jamie Webber played the entire match as FC Tulsa lost 1-0 to Orange County SC at home, ONEOK Field.
Meanwhile, in the Austrian Bundesliga, Antonio Van Wyk and Yusuf Maart were on parade as SV Ried drew 0-0 with Wolfsberg. The match was played at Lavanttal-Arena on Saturday. Van Wyk was substituted in the second half.
SAMUKELE KABINI SEES RED IN NORWAY
Ime Okon played the entire match as Hannover 96 beat Darmstadt 2-0 in a 2. Bundesliga match played at Merck-Stadion am Bรถllenfalltor on Saturday. Meanwhile, Samukele Kabini was red-carded after 78 minutes of play as Molde FK beat HamKam 4-1 in a Norwegian Eliteserien match played at Aker Stadion on Sunday.
Gift Links played the entire match as AGF drew 1-1 with Nordsjรฆlland in a Danish Superliga match played at Ceres Park Vejlby on Friday. Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana was on the bench as FCSB registered a 4-0 win over Otelul Galati at Arena Naศionalฤ on Saturday. This was a Romanian Superliga match.
In Cyprus, Luther Singh and Thapelo Maseko were in action as AEL Limmasol lost 2-1 to Pafos in a Cyprus Cup. This match was played at Alphamega Stadium. They will be in action on Friday, 17 April, against Paralimni at the same venue. Mihlali Mayambela’s Omonoia faces AEK Larnaca on Tuesday at ฮฮฮ Arena.
In the Belgian Pro League, Shandre Campbell was not in the team as Club Brugge beat Sint-Truidense 2-1 at Daioย Wasabi Stayen Stadium on Saturday.
Furthermore, Mohau Nkota was not in action in the Saudi Pro League as Al-Ettifaq drew 2-2 with Al-Riyadh. The match was played at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium on Thursday.
In the same league, Elias Mokwana was introduced in the second half as Al-Hazem beat Al-Fayha 2-0. The match was played at Al Hazm Club Stadium on Saturday. Ranga Chivaviro will be in action on Tuesday in a Saudi First Division match. His Al-Adalah face Al-Wehda at King Abdul Aziz Stadium in Mecca.
GOOD STRIDES FOR COACHES, STEVE BARKER AND RULANI MOKWENA
In Tanzania, Steve Barker’s Simba SC registered an important 3-1 win over Dodoma Jiji in a Federation Cup match on Sunday. The match was played at KMC Stadium. Neo Maema was on parade, while Rushine De Reuck was not in the matchday squad.
In Libya, Rulani Mokwena continued his good start after Al Ittihad beat Shabab Al Ghar 4-1 on Friday. Mokwena has now recorded back-to-back wins after masterminding a victory in the Libyan Cup.
However, Thembinkosi Lorch was not in the matchday squad. Sphephelo Sithole will be in action on Monday in the Liga Portugal. His team, CD Tondela, face Gil Vicente at the Estรกdio Joรฃo Cardoso.
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