Milford FC Snatches Vital Playoff Victory With 90th-Minute Smash-and-Grab
Khanyisani Radebe scored a dramatic last-minute winner to hand Milford FC a vital 1-0 victory over Magesi FC in the PSL Promotion Playoffs at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex on Wednesday.
With entry made free to ensure a packed house in Richards Bay, a lively crowd erupted in the dying seconds of the match. Radebe skillfully adjusted his body before unleashing a precise left-footed strike that beat Magesi goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.
The last-gasp winner sparked wild celebrations for Milford, while leaving the Magesi players and technical staff absolutely devastated.
The encounter was a fierce battle for supremacy, as both teams entered the fixture having already secured maximum points against Cape Town City. Milford opened their playoff account with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Citizens at Athlone Stadium last week. Magesi followed suit on Saturday, dispatching John Comitis’ side 2-0 at the Seshego Stadium to briefly claim top spot on goal difference.
Milford should have seized control early in the first half when Siphosethu Ndlabi found himself clean through on goal. However, instead of striking for glory, he opted to pass to Mvelo Zikakayo. The latter unfortunately lost his footing on the turf, allowing a scrambling Magesi defense to regroup and clear the danger.
At the other end, Sphamandla Hleza produced a world-class save to keep Milford level after Nyakala Raphadu breached the backline. Left entirely exposed, Hleza stood his ground and brilliantly turned the one-on-one effort away for a corner to rescue his side.
Clear-cut chances remained at a premium as the contest turned into a gritty, fragmented midfield war. For long periods, a stalemate seemed the most logical outcome between two evenly matched teams locked in a direct dogfight for top-flight promotion.
Magesi, however, frequently looked threatening in transition. Sifiso Luthuli, currently on loan from Orlando Pirates, led the line superbly up front. The physical striker held off his marker to lay the ball off nicely for Tholang Mashigo, who unleashed a thunderous effort straight into the grateful clutches of Hleza.
Just when Milford thought their late attacking pressure would go unrewarded after a series of agonizing misses, Radebe delivered the definitive blow. Refusing to let a late sequence die, the attacker kept the ball alive in the box and fired home on the turn to seal a classic smash-and-grab victory.
The result catapults Milford to the top of the playoff standings with a perfect six points from two matches. Magesi drops to second place on three points, while Cape Town City sits rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points. Milford will look to edge closer to automatic top-flight promotion when they host Cape Town City at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex on Saturday.
