Sundowns secure draw in Maritzburg

Absa Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns fought back from a goal down to secure a 1-1 draw against Maritzburg United at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday afternoon.

Heinrich Isaacks opened the scoring for the Team of Choice in the first half before Alje Schut netted an equaliser in the dying seconds of the game.

The hosts threatened early as Ashley Hartog fired a low shot straight at Thela Ngobeni in the ninth minute, while Bongolwethu Jayiya also did the same two minutes later.

Sundowns fired their first shot in the 12th minute as Hlompho Kekana was given space to shoot outside the box but his effort sailed wide of goal.

The visitors continued to apply pressure but Lebohang Mokoena missed the target in the 25th minute while Kekana did the same four minutes later.

The deadlock was broken in the 34th minute when Kurt Lentjies broke through on the left and played a low cross for Isaacks to finish at the far post, handing his side the lead at the break.

United came close to doubling their lead four minutes into the second half as Lentjies's cross found Jayiya unmarked at the far post, but he blasted his shot over the crossbar.

Two minutes later Anthony Laffor unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box but Virgil Vries was able to punch the ball to safety.

Sundowns pushed forward for the equaliser, but United remained solid at the back, not allowing them to take shots at goal.

Thabo Nthethe managed to connect with a corner from Elias Pelembe in the 66th minute but his header went over the crossbar.

Jayiya should have wrapped the game up for the home side in the 94th minute when he cut in from the left side but he shot over the target from the centre of the penalty area.

The visitors took full advantage of the lifeline a minute later as Schut levelled matters from the last attack of the game, heading home from Pelembe’s corner.

Maritzburg United (1) 1 (Isaacks 34’)

Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 1 (Schut 90+5’)

Teams:

Maritzburg United: Vries, De Jongh, Booysen D, Booysen M, Matuka, Mkhize (Zulu 46’), Lentjies (Morton 80’), Hartog, Jayiya, Isaacks, Nkosi (Mohammed 88’)

Mamelodi Sundowns: Ngobeni, Langerman, Schut, Nthethe, Mphahlele, Mokoena (Ramagalela 79’), Modise, Kekana, Pelembe, Moriri (Wome 68’), Laffor (Malajila 61’)