Chippa hold Maritzburg 0-0

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday Nov 27, 2018. 21:33

Chippa United held Maritzburg United to a 0-0 draw in the teams’ Absa Premiership clash at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Team of Choice are still without a home win in the league this season but at least move up one spot to 14th with nine points from 10 matches, while the Chilli Boys also rise a place to 12th with 10 points from 11 matches.

After a quiet opening the game, in which both teams were cagey and reluctant to commit too many men forward, the first shot on target arrived in the 23rd minute, with Chippa’s Ruzaigh Gamildien firing a left-footed volley from long range which brought a comfortable save from Richard Ofori.

Just over 10 minutes later Maritzburg had their first effort on goal, with Fortune Makaringe getting a shot away from the edge of the box, but again there no real threat to the goalkeeper – this time Chippa’s Daniel Akpeyi.

In the 37th minute the visitors put together a great counter attack which saw Kurt Lentjies play Gamildien in on goal, but the attacker looked nervous in the penalty area and was quickly closed down by Ofori.

The match was goalless at the half-time break. Chippa’s superior passing game saw them bossing the early stages of the second half, but they lacked the nous and precision in the final third to really threaten the hosts.

The Chilli Boys had a good chance arrive almost out of nothing midway through the second stanza when the ball fell kindly for winger Thabo Rakhale, but his shot from the left of the penalty area flashed over the crossbar.

The Team of Choice introduced Andrea Fileccia with just under 20 minutes to play and the Belgian brought their attack to life, teeing up Makaringe with a good chance soon after his arrival, but Akpeyi made a sharp save to keep the score line blank.

The final chance of the match arrived in the 89th minute, with Maritzburg’s Brian Onyango getting up highest at a corner kick, but he failed to keep his header down.

Both clubs will return to Absa Premiership action this weekend, with Chippa at home to AmaZulu on Friday night and Maritzburg away to Orlando Pirates the following evening.

Maritzburg United 0
Chippa United 0

Maritzburg: Ofori, De Reuck, Xulu, Onyango, Figueredo (Atouba 54’), Makaringe, Ndlovu, Kunene, Mokate (Fileccia 73’), Zakri, Mekoa (Shandu 61’)

Chippa: Akpeyi, Macheke, Nsabiyumva, Mokeke, Tlolane, Rakhale, Komane, Timm, Lentjies (Sali 82’), Gamildien (Klate 89’), L. Manzini (Mayambela 62’)