Richards Bay FC will be competing in the DStv Premiership next season after thrashing Baroka FC 4-0 in their final promotion/relegation play-off clash on Wednesday.
PSL Promotion Play-Offs
Result: Richards Bay v Baroka FC
Date: 19 June 2024
Venue: King Zwelithini Stadium
The two sides played to a goalless draw a couple weeks in Limpopo, but that is a result that would've only benefited Vusumuzi Vilakazi's charges as they entered the clash top of the play-off table.Despite dropping points over the weekend, Richards Bay were unchanged for the final clash.
The Natal Rich Boyz got off to a lively start and went close to taking the lead on ten minutes when Yanele Mbuthuma was slipped down the right side of the box, but his shot was turned away by Molefe. Baroka squandered two glorious chances in quick succession as Siyabonga Mthombeni failed to connect with a cross in the six-yard box, before Sekela Sithole blazed at the far post seconds later.
The visitors were made to pay for that miss as Richards Bay took the lead in the 36th minute when Mbuthuma picked out Somila Ntsundwana, who found the back of the net with an acrobatic finish for his second goal of the players.
Richards Bay got the cushion goal on the stroke of halftime when Sanele Barns' free-kick took a deflection and sailed into the far corner.
The home side carried that momentum into the second period and should have had a third goal on the hour mark, but Barns scuffed his strike from just inside the box.
The game was pretty much made safe in the 62nd minute when Ntsundwana bagged his second and his side's third with a lovely finish into the far corner to retain Richards Bay's top-flight status.
There was enough time for a fourth goal with six minutes to play when Lwandile Sandile Mabuya had the simple task of slotting into an empty net after Molefe had parried Khuda Mkhaya's initial strike.
Baroka and University of Pretoria were unable to replicate what Cape Town Spurs did in the play-offs last season and will be back in the Motsepe Foundation Championship in the 2024/2025 campaign.
Here's how they lined up:
Richards Bay: Magoola, Mabuya, Mabua, Mthethwa, Mcineka, Malepe, Mohlamme, Barns, Mbuthuma, Mthembu, Ntsundwana.
Subs: Jacobs, Mhlongo, Ndaba, Figareido, Dube, Gumede, Myaba, Komane, Makhubela.
Baroka FC: Molefe, Mashiloane, Gebhardt, Mathiane, Kgositsile, Sikhosana, Malivha, Sithole, Lekoloane, Madingwana, Mthombeni,
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