KNYSNA NEWS - Smutsville's Smuts United Football Club went down against Peace Makers FC in a penalty shootout, after they played to a 1-1 draw in an exciting Safa Eden Mini Regional League Playoffs semi-final on Saturday 31 August at the Military Base Sports Facility in Oudtshoorn.
Seven teams, Infantry School (Oudtshoorn), Black Cats (George), Simunye (George), Voota FC (Knysna), Smuts United (Sedgefield), Peace Makers (Mossel Bay) and Sea Birds (Mossel Bay), took part in the mini playoffs.
The first semi-final game between Smuts United and Peace Makers started at a fast pace, with both teams playing attacking football, looking for the first goal in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Powerful strike
Iviwe Karelse of Peace Makers scored the first goal, his powerful strike from outside the box putting his side in the lead.
Smuts United players tried their best to get their first goal, to get back into the game.
Peace Makers' flanks were on fire, looking for more goals in the last minutes of the first half.
Smuts' defenders worked overtime to neutralise the offensive play by Peace Makers' players.
The first half of the game ended with the score at 1-0, and the second half started with Smuts United using the strength of Corne Melite and Carl Dirk to break through Peace Makers' back line, but their attempts went wide.
The game was still on, with both teams looking for more chances in the second half.
Smuts United players grinded away in search of an equalising goal, throwing everything into their efforts in front of the box, but Peace Makers' defenders were very solid.
Well saved
Peace Makers received a corner kick, and their ball from the corner was well saved by Smuts United goalkeeper Ashwill van Rooyen.
Smuts took the game from the Mossel Bay team, attacking with their wingers - and thanks to poor defending by Peace Makers, Shaunville Solomons netted the equalising goal during the last minutes of the game.
Peace Makers gained more confidence, playing excellent touches in trying to penetrate Smuts United's defence, but it was too late for them to score the winning goal.
The game then went to a penalty shootout.
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