Maritzburg drop points at home to City

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Saturday Apr 07, 2018. 22:46

Maritzburg United failed to retain the full three points after playing to a 1-1 draw against Cape Town City in the Absa Premiership at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday night.

Fadlu Davids' men netted first through Andrea Fileccia, but substitute Masoud Juma equalised in the final minutes of the tie.

The stalemate leaves Benni McCarthy's troops sitting sixth on the log table with 35 points from 26 games.

The contest had an electrifying start where Sage Stephens was called to produce a fine save to deny Pogiso Sanoka from a point blank range in the seventh minute.

The 25th minute allowed the visitors to have a go at their hosts and Thamsanqa Mkhize’s glancing header went inches over Richard Ofori’s crossbar - end to end stuff in Maritzburg.

Three minutes later, Fileccia would broke the deadlock and bagged his eighth goal of the season when he converted a wonderful cross from the right flank through Fortune Makaringe, no chance for Stephens.

Minutes before the interval, City pushed for an equaliser and had great touches in the heart of the park, but Roland Putsche’s well-struck shot was swallowed by Ofori.

United kept Stephens busy as he made two saves in the dying stages of the opening half as the Team of Choice went to the tunnel leading 1-0.

Both sides carried on where they left off in their return as far as pace was concerned, but there were few chances in front of goal in the first 15 minutes.

The Citizens came close to scoring when substitute Juma was denied by Stephens in the 66th minute, as the Ghanaian goalkeeper came out of his line to produce a fine save.

Benni McCarthy’s men dominated the ball towards the last 15 minutes and Bradley Ralani’s cross met Craig Martin, whose header hit the far post, but Juma could not convert as the ball bounced awkwardly.

City resorted to long range shots as they could not break down the hosts’ defence and Ivan Kateregga saw his powerful effort sailing wide in the 87th minute.

Right in injury time, Juma levelled the matters when he pounced on a loose ball resulting from a deflected set piece, and blasted a left footed shot into the net, beating Ofori.

Resulting from the draw, United move to the number three spot with 39 points from 26 games.

Maritzburg United (1) 1 (Fileccia 28’)

Cape Town City (0) 1 (Juma 90’)

Maritzburg: Ofori, Thlone (De Reuck 64’), Xulu, Fransman, Sanoka, Makaringe, Ndlovu, Shandu, Maboe, Mekoa (Kunene 77’), Fillecia (Mokate 78’)

Cape Town City: Stephens, Mkhize, Fielies, Johannes, Seedat, Putsche, Nodada, Matsi (Kateregga 69’), Martin, Ralani, Moseamedi (Juma 63’)