Matshelane Mamabolo
THE Blue Nation are in big time football. The Crocodiles are going to swim in the big sea with the sharks.
Magesi FC earned promotion to the DSTV Premiership in style yesterday afternoon in Polokwane, Clinton Larsen’s team beating Milford FC 3-1 to win the Motsepe Foundation Championship with two games to spare. And with the second-placed University of Pretoria being held 2-2 at Black Leopards, the result meant that Magesi's 55 points cannot be bettered.
The wild celebrations that ensued at the final whistle told the story of the delight brought about by promotion courtesy of victory earned via a Wonderboy Hlongwane brace, plus a strike by Edmore Chirambadare.
The home side took the lead on 25 minutes via a headed goal by Makhubu following a good cross by Diamond Thopola.
Watched by the king of Moletjie, Kgoshi Moloto and the king mother, Magasi played like a team inspired as their supporters urged them on with drumbeats and song.
They made it 2-0 just five minutes after the break when a seemingly hopeful punt forward by goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze took a wicked bounce to elude two Milford defenders.
Chimbadare took advantage and with just one touch managed to get the ball past the advancing Siphamandla Hleza in the visitors’ goal. The ball to trickled into the net, sending the partisan home crowd that filled the main stands into wild celebrations.
They scored a third goal on 55 minutes via Anathi Ngwadla, who sprinted for the ball like Usain Bolt and then rounded Hleza to put the ball into the empty net, only for the match officials to inexplicably disallow it.
WE DID IT!
— Magesi Football Club (@Magesi_FC) May 5, 2024
Magesi 3-1 Milford #DikwenaTsaMeetse 🐊 #BlueNation #MagesiFCxPrimo#MFChampionship #MotsepeFoundationChampionship pic.twitter.com/EEug88mbgC
Score update: @casricstarsfc 4-2 @PlatinumCRFC @UpingtonCityFC 4-1 @NB_LaMasiaFC @jdrstarz 1-0 @orbitcollege @Magesi_FC 3-1 @MFC_Stallions @ptacallies_fc 0-3 @vendafootball @MaritzburgUtd 2-0 @hungry_lions_FC @Baroka_FC 2-0 @_Marumogallants @lidodaduvha 2-2… pic.twitter.com/F6IcyfZlCH
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) May 5, 2024
An incensed Larsen remonstrated wildly with the fourth official as his players also questioned the referee.
Milford took advantage of the hosts’ lapse in concentration and pulled one back via Bulellani Sigomoshe, who slotted home at the near post from inside the box.
But it was soon 3-1 as Makhubu completed his brace with a brilliant lob over Hleza from the edge of the box, leading the Peter Mokaba Stadium to reverberate under the drumbeat, singing and dancing of the home fans delighted as their team essentially booked promotion to the country’s elite league.
Late in the match, as news trickled in that Black Leopards had made it 2-2 against the University of Pretoria, pandemonium broke out in the VIP area and the main stands as celebrations ensued. And almost immediately when the final whistle blasted, the celebrations took place on the pitch.