United Unwilling To Return Home Empty Handed
Maritzburg United were staring down the barrel of a defeat, but for the second game in a row came from behind to snatch a point as they played out to a 1-1 draw with Ajax Cape Town on Wednesday.
In a match billed as payback time for Ajax as Maritzburg were the reason they lost the league title on the last day last season. It was not to be as the visitors made their intensions clear as early as the sixth minute when Sheldon Lawrence shot wide after dispossessing Granwald Scott in midfield.
Ajax stepped up the gear however, but the visitor’s goalkeeper Francis Chansa stood between them and a goal. Chansa put his body on the line to block Thembinkosi ‘Terror’ Fanteni, after a mistake by defender Mor Diouf in box and again came good narrowing the angle for Kama Billiat who ended up misfiring across goal.
With Billiat having the time of his life out wide, Maritzburg coach Ian Palmer pulled out Thabang Matuka in the 25 th minute and brought on Rheece Evans on, but it was no different as Ajax continued to press on down the right flank.
They were duly rewarded for their efforts winning a free-kick after Shedon made a desperate sliding tackle to stop the charging ‘Terror’ Fanteni. The Urban Warriors Brett Evans stepped up and produced a fine curler into the top corner to make it 1-0 to the homeside.
Ajax were in control for the rest of the half going 1-0 ahead into the break.
Early in the second stanza, Billiat squandered a good opportunity to double Ajax’s lead, putting his shot over the bar with the goal wide open.
That allowed Maritzburg to get back into the game, as substitute Jabulani Ncubeni forced a good save from Sean Roberts, while Khulekani Madondo could only shoot straight at the Warrior’s goal-minder.
Michael Morton lead a good Maritzburg attack, laying off a slick back-heel for Ncubeni who failed to again beat Roberts.
Where there’s a will there a way and substitute Fadlu Davids found a way through rising highest to equalise much to the disappointment of the home supporters.
After Davids’s goal the home side looked threatening on set pieces, especially a few curling corner kicks, but Maritzburg defended well, their big Senegalese defender Mor Diouf in particular throwing his body on the line.
And that’s how it ended at the Cape Town stadium with the Maritzburg going home the happier of the two sides after claiming an away point.
In the end Maritzburg fought hard and deserved their equaliser.
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