Freese hails crucial home victory for Magesi

Dikwena tša Meetse produced a disciplined performance to defeat 10-man Cape Town City 2-0 at Seshego Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

Mcedi Vandala opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Edmore Chirambadare added a second after the break to ensure the hosts claimed all three points and moved to the top of the standings.

Freese admits he is pleased to see his side at the summit of the mini-league table after the opening round of fixtures. 

"Playing in this mini tournament, the expectation is that we win at home and try to get as many points as we can. I'm very happy about this result, but now we have to go and prepare for the next match against Milford."

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Freese made two adjustments to the side that edged Richards Bay FC 1-0 on the final day of the Betway Premiership season, a result that saw Magesi finish 15th and qualify for the playoffs. 

Lehlohonolo Mtshali returned to the starting line-up after serving a suspension, while Chirambadare started as part of a tactical move. 

The veteran coach praised the balance in his team’s display and reserved special praise for a defence that successfully contained City’s attacking threats.

The match was not without controversy, with Cape Town City left frustrated by several key decisions. The visitors felt Chirambadare was fortunate to avoid a dismissal after a high challenge on Dhakier Lee resulted only in a yellow card, while Magesi’s first goal came from a penalty that City also disputed. 

Freese, however, believes there were decisions throughout the contest that affected both teams.

"Okay we also had fouls against us, so it's not like we were here to kill people or that we were the only ones playing dirty. There was the referee who took care of the game."

With the playoffs still in the early stages, Freese insists there is plenty of work ahead if Magesi are to secure their place in the Betway Premiership for another season. 

Dikwena tša Meetse return to action on Wednesday when they travel to KwaZulu-Natal to face Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit Milford FC at the uMhlathuze Sports Complex. 

Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 as the race for promotion and survival continues.