Pieterse proved point

24 April 2017 - 09:38 By MARC STRYDOM
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United coach Stuart Baxter.
United coach Stuart Baxter.
Image: VELI NHLAPO

Supersport United coach Stuart Baxter said he knew that the goalkeeping hero of his side's 5-3 Nedbank Cup quarterfinal penalties victory over Kaizer Chiefs would be "pumped to return to FNB Stadium".

Baxter recalled ex-Chiefs keeper Reyaad Pieterse to his starting line-up for Saturday night's crucial quarterfinal for the defending champions in the cup competition that now probably represents their last chance of silverware in 2016-17.

He had faith in the "man-mountain" keeper even though he conceded five goals in his previous match, the 5-0 league thrashing by Mamelodi Sundowns recently.

Ronwen Williams had only let in one goal in Matsatsantsa's three games after that, so this might have seemed a strange choice by the coach.

But Pieterse saved a penalty from old teammate Bernard Parker in extra time to keep the score locked at 1-1. Then he blocked another, from George Maluleka, in the shootout.

Baxter said there were a number of factors in his decision to recall Pieterse, one being that he thought the keeper, released by Chiefs at the end of last season, might have a point to prove at his old home ground.

Former Chiefs coach Baxter was also up against his old club, fielding a number of the players who have left Amakhosi for Supersport since his move to Pretoria - such as Pieterse, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Morgan Gould and Mandla Masango.

Chiefs coach Steve Komphela said his side should have used substitute winger William Twala more .

Matsatsantsa took the lead, having created some solid chances, in the 72nd minute through Jeremy Brockie.

Twala's introduction after that, for Sibusiso Khumalo, helped Chiefs get behind Supersport's rigid defence more often and the winger provided the cross for Ramahlwe Mphahlele's headed 81st-minute equaliser. Another cross was handled by Dean Furman in the area for a penalty.

"In the second half we had to think and find a way to get behind them," said Komphela.

"We tried stretching the game, putting Twala in there, with 'Rama' [Mphahlele] occasionally going through. And it looked like we were getting something.

"What I thought we could have done better was to use Twala more. Because each time he was wide he had a bit of space. And [Supersport right back] Michael Boxall was sitting on a yellow.

"Maybe with their fullback on a yellow, and our winger in good form, we could have done better with him."

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