10-man Stellies claim come-from-behind win over Orbit College
Stellenbosch FC recorded a remarkable 2-1 come-from-behind win over Orbit College in their Betway Premiership encounter on Wednesday evening.
Fresh from recording a 1-0 win over AS Otoho in their opening CAF Confederation Cup Group C match on Sunday, Stellenbosch FC returned to domestic football for a mid-week encounter against Orbit College at Olympia Park in Rustenberg.
Orbit nearly took an early lead in the encounter with a snapshot that curled just wide of Sage Stephens’ goal, before Stellies gradually took control of proceedings and began creating chances of their own.
The first such chance fell to Devin Titus in the 12th minute when he forced opposition ‘keeper, Sekhoane Moerane, into making a smart save down to his left, before Turan Manafov fired over from outside the box with a free-kick from a dangerous position.
Khomotjo Lekoloane fashioned a similar half-chance from range as the team from the Cape Winelands pushed for an opener, but, when the deadlock was eventually broken, it came againast the run of play at the other end of the pitch.
Mthetheleli Mthiyane was stripped of possession in midfield which freed Orbit up for a swift counter-attack, and the hosts made the most of the opportunity by snatching the lead through Mbulelo Wagaba with the last kick of the half.
Half time: Orbit College 1-0 Stellenbosch FC
Shortly after the restart, Stellies created a good opportuniy to find a leveller through Genino Palace, but the midfielder could only direct his strike wide after making a good, late run into the box.
Orbit were next to threaten and came inches away from doubling their lead with just over an hour played, striking the crossbar with a curling free-kick taken from near the corner-flag.
Coach Steve Barker turned to his bench for reinforcements and the likes of Langelihle Phili, Andre de Jong, Sanele Barns and Ashley Cupido added fresh impetus to create wave-after-wave of attacks into the opposition box.
Those forays forward were once again punished at the other end, however, when Thabo Moloisane was given his marching orders by the referee for a second bookable offense after stopping another dangerous counter attack.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Stellies refused to accept defeat and continued to pour forward in attack in search of a late equaliser, and they found that and more in the late stages of the tie.
With 89 minutes on the clock, substitute Thato Khiba fired Stellenbosch level with a powerful left-footed effort before Athenkosi Mcaba capitalised on a defensive error to score his first goal for the club and a dramatic winner on the night.