Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Baroka got their campaign back on track yesterday with a hard-fought come-from-behind victory over visiting Chippa United for their first success over the Port Elizabeth side in three years.
The 2-1 win, their third of the season to go with a defeat and a draw so far, catapulted the Limpopo side to third spot on the DStv Premiership standings.
Centre-back Sandile Mthethwa put the visitors ahead shortly before the halftime break at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane after he connected with a Nyiko Mobbie cross to send a close-range shot to the roof of the net.
Baroka striker Evidence Makgopa equalised for the home side after 66 minutes when he headed home a corner kick and fellow attacker Richard Mbulu made sure of the maximum points when he found himself totally unmarked in the United box to head to head in the winning goal.
The victory will please head coach Matsimela Thoka as it snaps a three-match winless run.
Thoka had watched in disbelief in the past three matches when his team dropped five crucial points as they gave up a lead late in the 1-1 draws against Orlando Pirates away and Lamontville Golden Arrows at home which were sandwiched by a 1-0 loss to provincial rivals and Premiership rookies Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila before this triumph.
Baroka moved to third place on the log standings with 11 points from six outings, while United remain stuck in 11th place on five points from the same number of matches.
Baroka had the brightest of starts to the new season, chalking up two back-to-back victories and a draw in their opening three matches before a mini slump and Thoka said he was pleased with the performance of his charges.
“I’m very happy for the boys, they showed character and the fighting spirit.
“It is what I wanted from them. I’m very happy about the performance of the boys,” he said in his post-match television interview.
“I told them in the second half that boys it is not over. We still have another 45 minutes.
“They scored in the first half, so I told them that we can also score in the second half.”
His United counterpart Lehlohonolo Seema bemoaned the two goals which were conceded from set pieces and said he had warned his players about the potency of their hosts when it came to dead-ball situations.
“I can’t believe we have lost this game. I don’t know how many chances we created before we scored this goal,” Seema said.
“And what is heartbreaking for the players is that they work hard but then they let the teams off the hook.
“These guys should learn quickly and we spoke about that before the match.
“The only way they could score was through the set pieces and here we are.”