Cape Town City won back-to-back games for the first time this season, with a 3-1 win over Black Leopards on Sunday afternoon.
Benni McCarthy’s manne showed a lot more appetite for the three points, in the end, to give the coach a happy international break in his first match since receiving his Uefa Pro Coaching License - scoring three goals for the second match in a row.
Attacking midfielder Ayanda Patosi and winger Surprise Ralani were really up for it and gave Lidoda Duvha’s defence a thorough test.
The pair combined to create City’s first shot on target in the eight minutes, breaking down the left before Patosi teed up striker Siphelele Mthembu, who volleyed straight at the goalkeeper.
Ralani and Patosi combined for the opener two minutes later, as Ralani sliced through the Leopards defence on the left before laying it off for Mthembu, who touched it on for Patosi to fire from just inside the box.
But it soon turned bad for the duo as Patosi wasted a close-range chance to make it 2-0 in the 21st minute.
Then as City looked to launch through Ralani, the wiry wing left the ball behind and Leopards capitalised to send Mwape Musonda through for a one-on-one with Peter Leeuwenburgh, a chance he didn’t waste.
But City was back ahead by the breakthrough Allen Kateregga after more good work from Ralani, whose touch freed up Thabo Nodada to run to the byline and cut back for Kateregga to stab home.
After the interval, it looked as if the heat had sapped the energy from the players before Mthembu bundled home a corner to make it 3-1 five minutes from time to send his team into the top of the PSL.