Magesi kept their Betway Premiership hopes alive with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Cape Town City in the playoffs at the Seshego Stadium on Saturday.
The Citizens will feel hard done by after Edmore Chirambadare escaped a red card early on for a high boot on Dhakier Lee which only earned him a caution before Dikwena tsa Meetse were awarded a contentious penalty.
Mcedi Vandala made no mistake from 12 yards out to open the scoring and Chirambadare rubbed more salt into City's wounds when he doubled the hosts' advantage in the second half to seal the win.
2-0. Playoffs started with a statement. Job’s not done💙🐊#magesifc #dikwenatsameetse #aquelleviv #pslplayoffs pic.twitter.com/V14TzrvccA
— Magesi Football Club (@Magesi_FC) May 30, 2026
Jan Vreman's side now face an uphill battle in their bid to gain promotion after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Milford in the opening match of the playoffs on May 26.
The visitors made a bright start and Dzenan Zajmovic was unable to force the ball home on 11 minutes after he latched onto a loose ball inside the area, while Keagan Dolly tested Elvis Chipezeze from range two minutes later.
Gabriel Amato was just inches away from breaking the deadlock with a curling free-kick on 31 minutes before Lehlohonolo Mtshali went down inside the box under minimal contact from Cayden Fortune three minutes later and the referee pointed to the spot.
Vandala converted the penalty to ensure Allan Freese's side took a 1-0 lead into the break and they almost struck again three minutes after the restart, but John Mokone's header came back off the post following a corner.
The Limpopo outfit would extend their lead on 68 minutes as Vandala beat the offside trap and forced a save out of Mickey van der Hart, only for Chirambadare to score on the rebound.
Kayden Francis had a day to forget after he received a straight red car for dissent on 88 minutes, having only been on the field for 13 minutes as a replacement for Lee.
Magesi (1) 2 (Vandala 34' PEN, Chirambadare 68')
CT City 0
MAGESI: E. Chipezeze, D. Mofokeng, T. Makgoga, L. Mokone, J. Mokone, S. Darpoh (S. Majola 72'), M. Vandala (K. Muvhango 83'), E. Chirambadare, L. Mtshali, T. Mashigo (A. Seseane 61'), S. Luthuli (B. Baloyi 83').
CAPE TOWN CITY: M. van der Hart, S. Ziba (E. Witbooi 57'), C. Fortune, L. Gordinho (P. Tjiueza 75'), B. Telile, J. Rhodes, G. Amato, D. Lee (K. Francis 75'), K. Dolly (A. Zinganto 67'), T. Moosa, D. Zajmovic.