Nyatama nets late on for a crucial point
A 92nd minute goal from Musa Nyatama saved Maritzburg United as they played to an
entertaining 2-2 draw against Vasco da Gama in an Absa Premiership match at the
Harry Gwala stadium on Saturday night.
It was a blistering start from the visiting side who attacked from the first whistle. In fact, Vasco looked like a side possessed as they completely dictated terms on the field of play in the opening 45 minutes.
Vasco’s passing was short, sharp and crisp which led to numerous chances on goal, their first coming in the second minute when Dirang Moloi tried his luck from roughly 20 yards, but his effort sailed narrowly past the right-hand post.
Three minutes later and the United goal was under threat once again as Sibusiso Zuma found himself in some space just inside the 18-yard box, but his powerful shot also skimmed the wrong side of the woodwork.
In the sixth minute Vasco finally made the Maritzburg keeper do some work, but it was to Shu-Aib Walters detriment.
Keenin Lesch let loose from 18 yards, but Walters produced a fantastic save, diving full stretch to his left, but only succeeded in parrying the ball straight into the path of Jonathan Armogam who proceeded to side foot the ball into an empty net from ten yards out, 1-0.
Zuma again pestered the United goal in the 19th minute when he fired another potent shot from the edge of the 18-yard area, but again he saw his effort going centimetres wide of the target.
Eventually, in the 27th minute of the match Maritzburg had their first shot on goal, but it was a poor one as Gert Schalkwyk tried his luck from 30 plus yards and it was comfortably saved by Jason Barnard.
But that was as much respite as the United team got because they went a second goal down in the 31st minute. Sibusiso Zuma doubled his side’s lead when he clinically passed the ball home from six-yards out after latching onto a Josephy Kamwendo cross, 2-0.
The Team of Choice welcomed the half-time break with open arms and Maritzburg quickly went about their business and only the woodwork denied them from pulling a goal back when Mor Diouf struck the post with a header in the 50th minute.
Two minutes later Schalkwyk had his second shot on goal in the game, but again his 30-yard effort was wayward and sailed over the crossbar.
Still, Vasco were playing well and they continued to create their own goalscoring opportunities. Only the brilliance of Walters in the 59th minute kept his side from going three goals down when he produced a great save to deny Rudi Isaacs a headed goal.
In the 81st minute Jason Barnard pulled off his first meaningful save of the game when he dove full stretch to his left to make a fingertip save to deny United’s Musa Nyatama from 12-yards out.
Two minutes later and United were able to find their first goal when Schalkwyk rounded off a good passing movement when he fired the ball into the back of the net from ten yards out, 2-1.
The goal by the Team of Choice made for a frantic final couple of minutes of the game as the home side went in desperate search of an equalising goal, a goal which they found in the dying seconds of the match.
Substitute Nyatama was the hero on the night when he latched onto a loose ball inside Vasco’s 18-yard area after the defence failed to clear the ball and fired his side level from six yards out, 2-2.
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