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Atteridgeville - Platinum Stars beat defending champions SuperSport United 2-0 at home in their Absa Premiership clash at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday evening.
Two goals in the first half effectively ended the match as a contest with strikes from Henrico Botes and Mduduzi Nyanda giving the visiting side a comfortable lead with bad weather on the horizon.
With a delayed start due to rain and thunderstorms, it was difficult for the players to land their passes on a wet pitch.
Platinum Stars in the first half seemed to adjust to the tricky conditions quicker, moving the ball around with speed and creating better chances as a result.
Wayne Brown embarrassed himself in the 12th minute when an aimless ball forward was struck towards the SuperSport goal. The SuperSport keeper tried to wait for the ball to pass into the box and he fumbled, instead of making an easy clearance. Stars striker Botes gratefully accepted the spilled ball and tapped the ball into the net to open the scoring for the visitors to make it 1-0 to Stars.
In the 33rd minute, defender Bongani Khumalo who will be leaving for Tottenham Hotspurs in the January transfer window, nearly levelled matters for the home side. Khumalo found himself on the end of an accurately struck free kick from Bradley Carnell but the header floated narrowly wide of goal.
Stars deservedly doubled their lead heading towards the break in the 40th minute as Stars midfielder Nyanda made it 2-0 to Stars. Nyanda slotted home, after Thuso Phala showed his pace when he tore away from the SuperSport defence and his perfect cross presented Nyanda with the simplest tap-in.
In the second half, conditions seemed to improve but, unfortunately, the quality of football seemed to drop.
SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt out of desperation, had to change the formation to try and salvage something from their home tie. He sacrificed both a midfielder and defender in search of their first goal, but the players weren't able to oblige with any good goal chances.
Play was halted in the 68th minute when conditions again turned unplayable as there was a lightning strike very close to the pitch.
The players were back on the field within five minutes as the lightning seemed to subside, but shortly after play resumed the rain began bucketing down killing off any chance of a good contest.
The only real talking point of the half came when SuperSport striker Fikru Lemessa received a second yellow card, ensuring he was sent off.
He needlessly kicked the ball away in frustration after the whistle and the referee had no choice but to give Lemessa his marching orders.
The game seemed to wander aimlessly amid the unpleasant weather, and it will be Platinum Stars who will be very happy with their deserved three points that vaulted them to tenth place on the log.
