Posted on December 03, 2011 17:53
Free State Stars continued their impressive Premiership run with a 2-0 win over strugglers Santos at Charles Mopeli Stadium on Saturday.
With their seventh victory of the season, Stars stretched their unbeaten run to five league games as they remained in third place in the standings.
Dave Wome and Katlego Mashego had done the early work, consistently threatening the Santos defence in the first half.
Mashego came closest to giving the hosts the lead on the half-hour mark, but he blasted his thunderous long-range effort against the post.
Stars were eventually rewarded in first-half injury time when Boitumelo Sekgobela set up their first goal, finding Edward Mnqele on the edge of the box. Mnqele fired the ball into the back of the net to give the home side the advantage at the break, but Santos were far more forceful in the second period.
The visitors struck back, pushing forward on the counter attack, and while they looked a different side in the second stanza, they were unable to find a gap in the Stars defence.
The hosts eventually extended the lead with 11 minutes left when Zairon van Buelen brought down Sekgobela in the area and Kennedy Mweene stepped up to slot home the resulting penalty.
Santos were handed their eighth defeat in 13 games this season, and continue to flounder just above the relegation zone.