Magesi extend Championship lead as Cape Town City climb to second

Magesi FC moved three points clear at the top of the Motsepe Foundation Championship after a 2-1 win over Gomora United at Seshego Stadium on Saturday.

Nyakala Raphadu put Dikwena Tsa Meetse ahead five minutes before half-time, but Gomora United fought back to equalise. The leaders restored their advantage through key attacker Tshepo Mashigo to condemn the visitors to another match without a win.

Northwest University followed up their previous success by beating University of Pretoria 2-1 in a contest between the two institutions.

The Championship debutants held the advantage at the interval after an energetic opening in which both sides traded attacks. AmaTuks could not produce the response they needed and suffered a second consecutive defeat, leaving them in the bottom half of the table.

Hungry Lions secured fourth place with a narrow 1-0 victory against bottom side Venda FC at Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium.

The match was fiercely contested from the outset, with clear chances difficult to create as Venda searched for a result that would improve their position. Instead, the visitors were beaten by Di Tau and remain rooted to the bottom, with one point and no wins from eight matches.

Lerumo Lions returned to winning form with a 3-0 victory at Leicesterford City, lifting them to fifth and keeping their promotion ambitions on course.

Sizwe Sithole opened the scoring with an outstanding effort from outside the box before Nasiphi Bhanayi increased the advantage. Bhanayi added another later on to complete his brace, while Leicesterford City suffered a third successive defeat.

Cape Town City climbed to second after recording their third straight Championship victory, a 2-1 success against winless Orbit College at Olympia Park Stadium on Friday.

The Citizens began quickly, with Kayden Francis breaking into the area to give them the lead. Gabriel Amato then converted a ball over the top to establish a two-goal advantage by half-time.

Orbit College improved after the break and reduced the deficit through Kgomotso Mosadi, but Cape Town City held on to take all three points in Rustenburg.

Real Native were held to a 1-1 draw by Highbury at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium and dropped to third, missing the opportunity to record consecutive wins.

Leletu Skelem gave the Natives the ideal start six minutes into the match, but Mzixolo Rafani levelled on the stroke of half-time. Neither side found a winner, with Highbury extending their winless run to five matches.

Upington City continued their climb with a 1-0 victory over Midlands Wanderers at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium. Bafana Ba Gucci made it successive wins after last weekend’s victory against Orbit College, while Midlands saw their two-match unbeaten run end.

After a goalless first half, Palelo Mafuyeka scored soon after the restart for his sixth goal of the season.

Hope FC moved up to seventh after edging The Bees 1-0 at Idas Valley Stadium. The debutants ended a run of consecutive draws and extended their unbeaten sequence, while The Bees slipped into the relegation zone after a third successive defeat. Tauric Gamildien scored the second-half winner for Clayton Daniels’s side.