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OUCH: Wome of Free State Stars evades a challenge from Tsweu Mokoro of AmaZulu. Picture by Backpagepix

Manqele in attack was definitely the main threat for Stars and he came close to opening the scoring only three minutes into the match when he drove into the right side of the box and unleashed a powerful shot that was well tipped around the post by Tapuwa Kapini.

Manqele, though, didn't have to wait much longer before he did find the back of the net, scoring the opening goal in the sixth minute.

Good build-up play by Ea Lla Koto saw some swift interchanges inside the box before Manqele concluded the passing move with a well-placed shot into the bottom left-hand corner from 12-yards out, making the score 1-0.

In the 14th minute Kapini produced a wonder save, diving full stretch to his right to palm a 35-yard thunderbolt free-kick from Diego Brown around the post for a corner.

After the frantic start, the game settled down a bit as the battle in the middle of the park raged on, resulting in few chances at goal until the referee adjudged AmaZulu's Moses Chavula to have pulled down Manqele inside the box, and consequently pointed to the penalty spot.

Brown stepped up to take the spot-kick, but saw his effort well saved by Kapini, diving to his right to beat away the poorly taken penalty.

Four minutes later, however, and Stanton Lewis was not to be denied when he found AmaZulu's equaliser through a little bit of luck.

Lewis drove down the right flank and tried to cross the ball from the right side of the 18-yard box, but saw the ball from his attempted cross come off the wrong side of his boot that resulted in chipping a stranded Ayanda Mtshali, to bring the score to 1-1.

Man of the Match Manqele made no such mistake side-footing the ball into the back of the net from six yards out after latching onto a low left-wing cross from Saname Wome, making the final score 2-1.