Kickoff (Cape Town)
6 December 2008
Thanda Royal Zulu ended a three-match losing streak when they beat Platinum Stars 4-1 in an Absa Premiership match at Olympia Park on Saturday night, with strikers Bernard Parker and Nkosinathi Nhleko both scoring twice.
Parker's eighth and ninth goals of the season sees him move two clear of Golden Arrows' Richard Henyekane in the race for the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot Award for the leading scorer in the PSL.
More importantly, it helped Roger Palmgren's side secure their first league point since a 2-1 win over Bay United nearly one month ago. In between Thanda had suffered defeats to Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Santos.
For Miguel Gamondi's Stars it is yet another disappointing result as their struggles in the first half of the 2008/09 season continue. The Tycoon have won just three of their 11 Premiership matches, the last victory coming five games ago at home to Santos.
Thanda move up to 12th place on the log, level with Stars on 13 points but one place below them due to an inferior goal difference.
After a goalless first half, the visitors broke the deadlock just past the hour mark when Parker latched onto a pass from right back James Madidilani and fired the ball past Stars 'keeper Wayne Sandilands.
Then a flurry of goals came in the final minutes of the game. First, Godfrey Sapula brought his side level at 1-1 when he turned home Steve Lekoelea's cross in the 82nd minute.
But if the former Sundowns midfielder though his strike had earned a share of the points he was sadly mistaken. Substitute Nhleko, brought on in place of Peter Ndlovu just before Stars scored their equaliser, made it 2-1 to Thanda in the 87th when he converted Bongani Mbhele's cross.
Parker made it 3-1 when he headed in his second from July Mahlangu's corner kick in injury time and Nhleko secured his brace just a minute later to complete the scoring and hand Thanda their biggest win of the season.
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