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Baroka battle to first win over Stars

Cape Town - Platinum Stars failed to make their possession dominance count as ABSA Premiership new boys Baroka FC battled to a 1-0 win at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday.

Platinum Stars controlled most of the possession in the first half at Royal Bafokeng Stadium and created the clearer chances of the two sides.

Henrico Botes and Thobani Kunene went closest for Dinaledi in the first stanza. However, Baroka offered some threat on the counter with a 32nd-minute Kenoshi Motshegwa free-kick going close.

The visitors went ahead in the 40th minute after Richard Matloga was brought down in the box by Mbongeni Mzimela, and Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali scored from the spot.

After the break, two great chances came Vuyo Mere's way but he failed to convert. The defensive-minded player may feel he could have done better on both occasions.

Baroka held on to record their first league win of the season under coach Kgoloko Thobejane.


At a sun-drenched Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday, Platinum Stars were expected to make light work of defeating struggling Premiership new boys Baroka.

In the early stages, Dinaledi controlled possession and looked the most dangerous going forward.

Forward Thobani Kunene was proving to be lively for the hosts and he nearly created a goal when he fizzed a ball across the small box from the left-hand side in the 17th minute.

After more good work from Kunene on the right flank, Henrico Botes headed over from inside the box although he would have been offside should he have scored.

Baroka went close in the 27th minute when Ryan De Jongh gave away a foul and Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali's resulting 30-yard free-kick flashed just wide.

Toward the end of the first half, the visitors were having their best period of the game and another counter-attack would lead to the first goal.

Richard Matloga chased down a long ball over the top and goalkeeper Mbongeni Mzimela brought him down in the box in a clumsy fashion. Ravhuhali stepped up and clinically converted a 40th-minute penalty.

After the break, Stars pushed forward without really creating many openings as Baroka sat back and were content to counter. On the break, Kenoshi Motshegwa had a free-kick from distance well saved in the 53rd minute.

Vuyo Mere had Stars' best chance to equalise when the ball broke to him in the box but he blasted straight at Oscarine Masuluke when he perhaps should have done better. The keeper used his legs to block Mere's effort.

Another golden chance fell to Mere in the 75th minute when a dinked ball over the Baroka defence found his run inside the small box, however, in sliding in for the ball he managed to miss the target.

Cavin Johnson's men threw everything forward in the final stages but Baroka managed to survive the storm. In the end it was a battling 1-0 victory for Baroka and the first of the season under coach Kgoloko Thobejane. 
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