Orbit College are back in the wins column in the Betway Premiership after defeating Polokwane City 1-0 at the Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg on Wednesday.
The Mswenko Boys secured their second win of the season after going five games without a win in the Betway Premiership. They now sit in 12th place on the standings, two positions up from where they started the day.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Polokwane City had their unbeaten run of five league games snapped. Rise and Shine dropped to seventh on the log, having collected 12 points from their eight league games.
Goalkeeper Brian Bwire sent Mbulelo Wagaba on his bike with a perfect long ball in the 13th minute. Wagaba got past Lebohang Nkaki with a series of stepovers down the side of the box but his cross to a deflection off Nkaki, allowing the visitors to clear the ball.
Monnapule Saleng showed off his touch in the 18th minute, controlling a cross-field long ball from Thabang Nhlapo. Saleng’s cross from edge of box looking for Thuso Moleleki arriving at back post, overhit
Tlou Nkwe delivered an inswinging corner in the 21st minute, which was headed down by Sibusiso Tshabalala. The ball fell to Mpho Mvundlela, who could not control it, and Tshabalala sent the rebound wide of the post from the edge of the six-yard-box.
In the 38th minute, Saleng and his captain, Atisang Batsi, moved the ball well to create space at the edge of the area, but could not take advantage as Batsi was dispossessed while trying to flick the ball past his defender in the box.
In first half stoppage time, Wagaba made a driving run from midfield and found Siyabulela Mabele, who fired a shot well over the bar from outside the area.
The first half stats painted the picture of two equally matched sides as both teams managed two shots each, with the hosts having 48 per cent possession to Rise and Shine’s 52 per cent.
The Mswenko Boys broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute. Saleng picked up the ball at the edge of the area but was dispossessed, leaving the ball behind. Wagaba pounced on the loose ball, sending it into the top right corner for his first goal of the season.
Saleng found Katlego Mkhabela’s run down the right edge of the box in the 65th minute, allowing Mkhabela to find an open Wagaba just outside the six-yard box with his cross but the striker could not keep his headed attempt on target.
In the 71st minute, Saketso Moremi took an audacious long shot which lacked power and bounced before being collected by goalkeeper Sabelo Nkomo.
Batsi tried his luck from distance in the 79th minute after Orbit broke upfield, however, his effort sailed wide of the posts.
In the 87th minute, Saleng played a perfectly weighted ball into 9 in the box but he could not convert, smacking the ball into the side netting.
Nkomo was forced into action in the 90th minute as he was forced into an acrobatic save to deny substitute Mokibelo Ramabu an equaliser.
Orbit will look to stay in the wins column when they travel to the King Zwelithini Stadium to face Lamontville Golden Arrows on Saturday.
Rise and Shine will look to recover their form on Saturday as they host Sekhukhune United at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Orbit College 1 (Wagaba 62’)
Polokwane City 0
ORBIT COLLEGE: S. Nkomo, K. Mkhabela, O. Mokgosi, T. Nhlapo, T. Jingana, S. Mabele (T. Matsemela 66’), G. Thibedi, A. Batsi, T. Moleleke (A. Lukhele 81’), M. Saleng, M. Wagaba (L. Modimoeng 81’)
POLOKWANE CITY: B. Bwire, T. Matuludi, T. Nkwe, L. Nkani, M. Mvundlela, M. Kambala (M. Batlhabane 81’), R. Daniels, N. Maphangule (S. Moremi 67’), B. Dlamini, S. Tshabalala (P. Tlolane 46’), T. Letshedi (M. Ramabu 46’)
