Late double hands Maritzburg victory over Platinum

Published Aug 20, 2017

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RUSTENBURG – Maritzburg United’s bright start to the new season continued with a 2-0 league win over Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Sunday.

The KZN team battled to get going for the first hour of the game, but came to life in the last 15 minutes with goals from Deolin Mekoa and Lebohang Maboe.

Dikwena had more of the play in the first half, during which time the Team of Choice barely threatened in attack.

Stars had some early chances, both for Siyabonga Zulu, but his ninth-minute shot from range veered just wide of the far post, while a 17th-minute free kick from an acute angle was well dealt with by Maritzburg keeper Bongani Mpandle.

Despite having the upper-hand, Stars struggled to carve out openings, and they had to wait until two minutes before halftime for their next chance, which saw Gift Sithole heading into the side-netting.

The home team also had the first opportunity of the second half when Thobani Kunene’s rose well in the box, but steered his header inches wide.

Maritzburg finally had an opportunity on goal when Evans Rusike crashed a drive wide of the right-hand post on 60 minutes.

Stars’ failure to penetrate the Team of Choice’ defence came back to haunt them in the 75th minute when a blistering counter attack saw Siphesihle Ndlovu playing in Mxolisi Kunene, who cut the ball across the box for Mekoa to turn in a low shot. 

Dikwena offered little in the way of a fight-back, and Maritzburg coach Fadlu Davids saw his team seal victory when Ndlovu slipped Lebohang Maboe in on goal, the midfielder complying with a clinical finish inside the left-hand post.

African News Agency (ANA)

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