LIONS ROAR Black Lions claw into the Veggies in hunt of top finish

Black Lions walked into Palapye Sports Complex with fire in their eyes and walked out with three points in the bag, edging Santa Greens 2–1 in a clash that had fans on their feet from start to finish.

Known to their faithful as Dibata-di-a-rora, the Lions wasted no time showing intent. Just eight minutes in, Xolani Cossa bent a free-kick past the wall after Kevin Bulala was hacked down, silencing the home crowd and putting the visitors ahead.

Greens, affectionately called The Veggies, tried to bite back. They pushed forward, carved out chances, but couldn’t find the finish. Their defence held just enough to keep the Lions from running away with it, until the 44th minute. Misani Thupa punished a sloppy backline with a counter-attack that doubled the lead, sending the Lions into halftime 2–0 up.

The second half was all about Greens fighting for pride. Charles Mujukeri gave them hope in the 58th minute with a sharp strike that cut the deficit. Suddenly, the tempo lifted, tactical tweaks gave them momentum, and the hunt for an equaliser was on.

But the Lions weren’t about to let it slip. Their defence stood tall, blocking every surge. The closest Greens came was in the 82nd minute when a rocket rattled the crossbar, but the rebound was cleared, leaving the visitors to lock down the win.

At the whistle, Lions celebrated a hard-fought victory that keeps them steady in the league’s top eight. For Greens, the pain continues as they remain stuck in the relegation zone, still searching for answers.