Pietermaritzburg – Super-sub Khumbulani Banda scored with his first touch as Maritzburg United ended an eight-match winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.
The Zimbabwean netted with his first touch when he headed in a Kurt Lentjies corner with nine minutes to play, handing the Team of Choice their first win since early December.
Amakhosi were largely flat in attack, but did strike the crossbar late on through Siboniso Gaxa, but the hosts held on to remain on the fringes of the top eight. The visitors, meanwhile, stayed top, but with their lead now cut to eight points by Mamelodi Sundowns.
At the start of the game, it was one-way traffic for the opening 15 minutes as Chiefs began like a runaway train.
George Maluleka tested Virgil Vries as early as the opening minute with a low shot that was straight at the Namibian goalkeeper, who then did well to beat Siphelele Mthembu to a dangerous Kgotso Moleko cross swung over from the right.
Another Maluleka effort went over not long after as the pressure continued to come from the visitors.
But United had the best chance of the opening half after 17
minutes, when an ambitious Philani Zulu cross from the left was not dealt with by a defender and fell at the feet of Thamsanqa Mkhize, who should have hit the target instead of shooting wide.
Chiefs' attempted responses continued to come via long-range shots from outside the penalty area Ä a sign that they continued to struggle in attack since the January departure of Kingston Nkhatha.
The home side then had further long-range efforts from Mondli Cele and Ryan de Jongh fly over, before again coming extremely close before the break when the former's inviting cross from the right was somehow diverted away for a corner by Moleko.
After the break, Chiefs began the second period like they did the first, with plenty of panache and energy.
They produced two of their best chances too as captain Tefu Mashamaite wastefully powered over a close-range header from Bernard Parker's free-kick.
Mthembu then slipped an effort from the edge of the box narrowly wide of the right upright as the hosts were forced to defend.
But they improved as the half wore on with Lentjies and Mkhize both firing wide from outside the box.
United boss Steve Komphele reacted my making three attacking substitutions as Thokozani Sekotlong, Terrance Mandaza and Banda were all thrown on.
And it proved a masterstroke as Banda netted with his first touch to silence most of the near 12,000-crowd.
With time running out, Vrises saved sharply from a header, diving to his right, with Gaxa then shaking the crossbar, but Maritzburg held on. – Sapa