Stars climb out of relegation zone

Cape Town - Free State Stars moved out of the relegation zone with a 3-2 win over Polokwane City in an Absa Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
 
A brace from Camaldine Abraw and a 90th minute penalty goal from Moeketsi Sekola saw the Ea Lla Koto come from a goal behind to register their sixth league win of the season to move into 14th place with 25 points, two clear of the relegation zone.
 
The loss for Polokwane is their 11th of the season and sees them on 33 points in eighth place for the time being.
 
Polokwane had the first shot on goal in the seventh minute when Rendani Ndou let fly from distance, but his effort sailed narrowly wide of the target.
 
The home side continued to press forward and opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Ndou turned home a through ball from Puleng Tlolane, 1-0.
 
Stars were virtually non-existent in the opening half hour, but managed to draw level in 33rd minute when a long throw-in into the Polokwane box resulted in Camaldine Abraw heading home from ten-yards out, 1-1.
 
The half ended all-square.
 
Polokwane came out firing in the second half and came close to taking the lead for the second time when Tlolane hit the crossbar with a stinging shot in the 63rd minute.
 
The away side took the lead against the run of play in the 74th minute thanks to a second goal from Abraw, 2-1.
 
Polokwane, though, hit back almost immediately with Vusi Mthimkhulu equalising seconds after going behind, 2-2.
 
The game was very open in the final 15 minutes, but both sides squandered chances in front of goal with some poor finishing and bad decision making.
 
Just as the game looked to be heading for a draw, Daniel Cardoso was brought down inside the Polokwane box and the referee pointed to the penalty spot in the 89th minute.
 
Sekola made no mistake from the penalty spot to give Stars win, 3-2.
 
Polokwane City (1) 2 (Ndou 18’, Mthimkhulu 75’)
Free State Stars (1) 3 (Abraw 33’+74’, Sekola 90’ pen)
 
Polokwane City: Marumo, Dhadhla (Kanyenda 77’), Tema, Nene, Lichaba, Alexander, Maluleke, Langa, Jembula (Monama 67’), Tlolane, Ndou.
 
Free State Stars: Diakite, Masehe, Cardoso, Sankara, Kerspuy, Shabalala, Somaeb (Mdluli 66’), Mashego, Venter [Basie 35’( Angula90’)], Sekola, Abraw.