Platinum Stars

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6 Platinum Stars ended their 2009/10 Absa Premiership campaign with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bidvest Wits at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday. The result, courtesy of goals from Marawaan Bantam and Thando Mngomeni, means Wits end the campaign in 10th, while Dinaledi have to be satisfied with 14th. Platinum Stars were the first to ask questions but Dillon Sheppard’s shot was blocked by Timothy Batabaire in the second minute. Stars were impressive on their forward forays with Sheppard orchestrating the operations as the visitors swamped the home side’s territory in search of an opener. Dinaledi gave the home side a scare when Sheppard unleashed a blistering shot that brought the best out of Francis Chansa in the 28th minute. Kagiso Senamela had a chance to give his side a half time lead but after receiving an inviting pass from the middle, the player shot straight into the hands of Chansa in the 40th minute. Stars again looked the better bet for a goal at the start of the season half, however Joseph Mkalipa was denied by Chansa in the 52nd minute. Bidvest Wits broke through in the shape of Bantam in the 66th minute to put his side on the driving seat. With 12 minutes remaining, Stars regrouped as they staged several onslaughts into the home side’s goalmouth but they failed to use the opportunities they created. However it was the home side who increased their tally to two thanks to a bullet like free-kick by Mngomeni in the 81st minute.
FRIDAY, MARCH 5 Platinum Stars will complete their 2009/10 Absa Premiership season with an away trip to the Bidvest Stadium to meet Bidvest Wits on Saturday (kick-off 15h30). Dinaledi will be hoping for a win that could move them as high as 11th in the table if other results go their way. Coach Steve Komphela will at least like to arrest a run of four straight defeats as the team looks to build momentum going into the Telkom Knockout competition. Still out through injury are Edward Williams and Simba Marumo, while Luis Renteria completes the third game of his suspension following a red card against Free State Stars, and Henrico Botes misses out as well having reached his yellow card threshold. Komphela will also be looking for goals from his side, having been kept scoreless in their last four game. They have been good at the back in that time though, with three of those defeats coming by just a single goal margin. Stars held sway when the two teams met earlier in the season, completing a comprehensive 3-1 victory with Botes getting a brace and Renteria the other. Wits have not been in great form themselves with just two wins in their last 20 matches, though one of those came last time out when they stunned champions SuperSport United with a 2-1 success. They will be missing Sibusiso Vilakazi with a broken leg, and it was he who got the goal for The Clever Boys when the teams met in November. Wits will also be missing the silky skills of the Brazilian midfielder Fabricio Rodrigues, who serves a one-match suspension.
FRIDAY, MARCH 5 Platinum Stars will feature in the opening game of this year’s Telkom Knockout after the cup committee finalised the fixtures for the start of the tournament. Dinaledi will be away at Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban on Saturday, March 13. The two teams will play at the Chatsworth Stadium with a 15h00 kick off with the match scheduled to be screened on SABC 1. Stars were Telkom Knockout winners in 2006, beating Ajax Cape Town in the final, but in 2007 and last season were knocked out in the first round. They lost away at AmaZulu in the 2007/08 season and in the last campaign drew 0-0 with Ajax away but then lost in the post-match penalty shootout.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 Platinum Stars face a tricky tie in the first round of the Telkom Knockout Cup when they travel to Lamontville Golden Arrows. Dinaledi were winners of the inaugural Telkom Knockout when they beat Ajax Cape Town 3-1 in the final in 2006, and will be meeting the current holders of the MTN8 competition in the form of Abafana Bes'thende, who also dispatched the Urban Warriors in the final with a thumping 6-0 win. Steve Komphela's men have met Golden Arrows twice in the League this season and have emerged unbeaten from those clashes. The first, last August, finished in a 1-1 draw, with Almiro Lobo getting the goal for Stars, while Dinaledi won the second match 2-1 in November. This time Norikazu Murakami and Kagiso Senamela were on target. The tournament, now in its fourth season, was launched in Johannesburg earlier in the week amongst huge fanfare. “Since the launch of the Telkom Knockout in 2006, the tournament has captured the imagination of players, fans and administrators alike. As one of the official supporters of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, we trust that the Telkom Knockout played a big part in unearthing some of the players who are in training for the global showpiece right now” said Nakedi Chiloane of marketing and sponsorships for Telkom. The first round is scheduled for March 13, 14, 20 and 21, with the quarterfinals to take place on the weekend of March 26. The semifinals will happen on either the last weekend of March or the first weekend in April. The final is scheduled for April 10.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 Rustenburg, Wednesday, 03 March 2010 - Platinum Stars have terminated the contract of midfielder Thabiso Monareng with immediate effect. The 24-year-old was found guilty of breaching team protocol in a Disciplinary Committee hearing which took place on Tuesday, 23 February, 2010, after being absent from training without permission from November and only returned well into the New Year. His contract, which was due to end on June 30, 2010, has now been terminated and the player handed his clearance. “We are sad to see Thabiso go, but we demand strict discipline in the side and his absence from training without explanation overstepped the boundries of that,” managing director Ian Riddick says. “Thabiso has let the club down, his teammates and the fans and that is something he will have to think about in the near future. “But as much as we are disappointed at the manner of his exit from the club, we wish Thabiso all the best for the future and hope that this talented young player can get his career back on track.” The Soweto-born star joined Platinum Stars ahead of the 2006/07 campaign from Vodacom League side Bilika All Stars, having begun his career at Sporting FC, and was immediately sent to Stars’ feeder team, Gauteng Vodacom League side BK Callies. He made his Stars debut as a substitute in the 3-0 win Bidvest Wits in May 2007 and scored his first goal against Maritzburg United in November 2008. His last appearance for the side came in the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Bloemfontein Celtic in October last year.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Platinum Stars went down 1-0 to Moroka Swallows in their Absa Premiership encounter at the Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday night. Former Bafana Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvete got the only goal of the game on 37 minutes. Nomvete, who was a constant thorn to the visitors’ defence, could have put his side ahead in the 26th minute but his goal-bound attempt was blocked by Stars’ Tshiamo Seneo. The 37th minute brought the stadium to its feet when Ritchie’s crisp cross to Nomvete saw the latter chest trapping the ball before unleashing a powerful left footed shot to stab it home and give his side the lead. Stars had Bradley Grobler and Henrico Botes upfront and the two found the going tough as their supply was quickly dealt with by Lefa Tsutsulupa and Ramahlwe Mphahlele in midfield. Botes could have equalised for his team, but his attempt in the 40th minute went wide with Greg Etafia in no-man’s-land. Stars’ Kagiso Senamela had a chance to score in the 61st minute but his shot went over the bar. Nomvete also failed to score his second for the day when he shot wide in the 67th and 70th minutes respectively. From that moment, Stars were impressive on their forward forays with Joseph Malangoane and Kagiso Senamela orchestrating the proceedings as Swallows offered little resistance and retreated amid the onslaught but their defence stood firm. But Birds keeper Greg Etafia also remained defiant and the status quo remained until full time. Match facts ABSA Premiership Moroka Swallows (1) 1 (Nomvete 37’) Platinum Stars 0 Team: Tapuwa Kapini, Almiro Lobo, Tshiamo Seneo, George Mofokeng, Mbulelo Mabizela, Coldrin Coetzee, Vaughn Miller (Kagiso Senamela 46th), Joseph Malangoane, Reuben Thebekang (Dillon Sheppard 54th), Henrico Botes, Bradley Grobler (Alton Meiring 46th).
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Platinum Stars' Absa Premiership match away at Moroka Swallows which had been scheduled for Saturday has been postponed to next Wednesday. With the match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Swallows on Wednesday evening having to be abandoned due to a floodlight failure, the Premier Soccer League has ordered the game continue on Friday night, with Swallows leading 2-0 after 34 minutes. That means that Stars trip to the Dobsonville Stadium scheduled for Saturday has had to be moved to midweek. The fixture will now be played at the same venue, with a kick-off time of 19h30. The match is Dinaledi's penultimate fixture of the season, with a final day trip to Bidvest Wits scheduled for March 6 at the Bidvest Stadium.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Platinum Stars slumped to a seventh defeat in nine games as they lost 1-0 to SuperSport United in their Absa Premiership clash at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Wednesday. The defeat all but ends Dinaledi's hopes of a top eight spot this season, while SuperSport take another step towards a third straight League title. The only goal of the game came in the second half from Matsatsantsa forward Brent Carelse, who worked space for himself in the Stars penalty-area before firing past Tapuwa Kapini. The match was the proverbial game of two halves as the Stars dictated the first 45 minutes, but the visitors came back in the second period. The first chance of the game went the way of Dinaledi striker Bradley Grobler in the sixth minute when he let loose with a powerful shot from about 25 yards out. United’s keeper, Emille Baron, could only watch in hope as the shot sailed just over his crossbar. Grobler was at it again 10 minutes later when he drove into the 18 yard box, beating a couple of defenders before firing on goal. But although his shot was a powerful one it was off target. SuperSport’s only chance of the half came three minutes before the break when Daine Klate failed to round off a good passing movement by his side. After receiving the ball in side the 18 yard box, in space, he failed to direct his shot on target as it slipped inches past the post. The second half saw the league leaders make two immediate substitutions in an effort to change the game. Dario Monteiro was replaced by Brian Umony while Thabo Mongalo came on for Siyabonga Nkosi. The changes almost had an immediate effect as a Mongalo shot from the edge of the 18 yard box in the 48th minute just skimmed the wrong side of the upright. United continued to press forward in stifled attacks and just as it looked like it would not be their night, Carelse broke the deadlock in the 71st minute. Carelse latched onto a low cross from Jabu Maluleke and showed real class and composure to finish from about 12 yards out, 1-0. Stars tried to find their way back into the game but a resolute SuperSport defence held them at bay and managed to hold out for a 1-0 win, which edges them that much closer to the PSL title. Match facts ABSA Premiership Platinum Stars 0 SuperSport United (0) 1 (Carelse 71’) Team: Tapuwa Kapini; Joseph Mkalipa, George Mofokeng, Tshiamo Seneo, Almiro Lobo; Joseph Malangoane, Reuben Thebakeng, Coldrin Coetzee (Kagiso Senamela 81’), Dillon Sheppard; Henrico Botes, Bradley Grobler
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Platinum Stars welcome SuperSport United to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Wednesday for their final home match of the 2009/10 Absa Premiership season. Dinaledi are still hopeful of claiming a place in the top eight for next season, but need to make up a four-point deficit on Moroka Swallows with three games remaining, while Matsatsantsa are locked in a battle for the title with their Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns. The reverse fixture at the Super Stadium in November ended in a 1-1 draw, with Japanese striker Norikazu Murakami on the scoresheet for Stars, before Daine Klate netted an equaliser in injury-time for United. Dinaledi coach Steve Komphela will be without two key men for this encounter as centre-back Mbulelo Mabizela and striker Luis Renteria serve suspensions, but he is able to welcome back young midfielder Coldrin Coetzee, who returns from a one-match suspension. Still missing through injury are Edward Williams and Simba Marumo, but the team will be desperate to bounce back from their weekend 3-0 defeat at the hands of Free State Stars, their biggest loss of the season. “It will be a very tough encounter, but we need this win badly having slipped up against Stars,” team manager Obed Legobate says. “We want to get the three points and consolidate our position as a challenger for a top eight place. We also don't want to just hand SuperSport the championship, they must fight every minute for it.” SuperSport are likely to be without the injured duo of Tsietsi Mahoa and Shane Poggenpoel, while coach Gavin Hunt will be missing their midfield enforcer Letladi Madubanya through suspension. And Hunt admits that his side will be in for a rough ride against Stars on Wednesday. "The Absa Premiership race is far from over," he told his club's official website. "We have a target of 60 points and if we reach that by Saturday, it will be good. But I am not looking further than playing Stars. The last thing we will do is underestimate Stars and they will get our full respect. "I do not care that they have lost their last two matches. They have always proved tough customers and playing at home will make our job ever harder."
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Rustenburg, Tuesday, February 16, 2010 - Platinum Stars host defending Absa Premiership champions SuperSport United in their final home game of the 2009/10 League season on Wednesday. The high-profile encounter, which could have a major bearing on the destiny of this season's championship trophy, will take place at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, with a kick-off time of 19h30. Dinaledi remain in the hunt for a top eight place despite two defeats in a row, and Coach Steve Komphela's side will be eying what would be a major scalp for the side. Tickets for the match are on sale and available at the following outlets: - Lucky’s Tavern - Spar Tlhabane - Mmamothofela Restaurant @ Bafokeng Plaza - Royal Bafokeng Stadium Turnstiles from 14h00 on Wednesday, 17th February Tickets are priced at R20 for adults and R10 for juveniles.