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Pietermaritzburg - A 93rd minute goal from Mor Diouf saw Maritzburg United come from a goal behind to beat Platinum Stars 2-1 in a highly entertaining Absa Premiership game at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday evening.
It may not have been the best performance by the men from KZN, but a spirited second half showing saw them fight their way back into the game and some late heroics from Diouf handed them all three points, which consequently saw them up to third on the table and still unbeaten this season.
The first half was a rather dull affair as neither side seemed to be able to hold onto the ball for long enough periods to create any decent chances on goal.
Instead, the first half was characterised by bad passing and some woeful long range shooting.
The second half, however, sprung into life almost immediately when the visitors broke the deadlock four minutes into the second 45.
Sibusiso Msomi was the man to grab the goal for Platinum Stars, but Maritzburg will have felt a little unlucky to concede it. It was a placid long range shot from Msomi that took a slight deflection off a United defender and found its way into the back of the net, 1-0.
Thereafter, Stars looked to grow in confidence and United looked to be heading to their first defeat of the season, but the match was turned on its head in the 64th minute when Dikwena defender Phelelani Mpangase was sent form the field for receiving a second yellow card.
This signalled for Maritzburg to throw men forward in attack and they started taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Still, it looked like they would not find any solace as they chipped away at the Stars defence, but had no luck in front of goal.
Finally, in the 85th minute Felix Obada levelled matters with a clinical finish when he got onto the end of a perfectly weighted low cross from Diouf, 1-1.
And then as the game looked to be heading towards a draw; in the final seconds of the match Diouf found the winner with a great long range shot which gave the keeper no chance, 2-1.
Scorers:
Maritzburg United (0) 2 (Obada 85’, Diouf 90+3’)
Platinum Stars (0) 1 (Msomi 49’)
Teams:
Maritzburg: Walters; Petersen (Matle 68’), Diouf, Hendricks, Sosibo (Ncubeni 71’); Obada, Morton, Lentjies, Evans; Olomu (F. Davids 53’), Sibisi
Stars: Mpontshane; Mpangase, Nkosi, Sambu, Thebakang (Mere 83’); Phala, Mkhabela, Msomi, Ntsikelelo, Ramolesa (Mbatha 60’); Botes
It may not have been the best performance by the men from KZN, but a spirited second half showing saw them fight their way back into the game and some late heroics from Diouf handed them all three points, which consequently saw them up to third on the table and still unbeaten this season.
The first half was a rather dull affair as neither side seemed to be able to hold onto the ball for long enough periods to create any decent chances on goal.
Instead, the first half was characterised by bad passing and some woeful long range shooting.
The second half, however, sprung into life almost immediately when the visitors broke the deadlock four minutes into the second 45.
Sibusiso Msomi was the man to grab the goal for Platinum Stars, but Maritzburg will have felt a little unlucky to concede it. It was a placid long range shot from Msomi that took a slight deflection off a United defender and found its way into the back of the net, 1-0.
Thereafter, Stars looked to grow in confidence and United looked to be heading to their first defeat of the season, but the match was turned on its head in the 64th minute when Dikwena defender Phelelani Mpangase was sent form the field for receiving a second yellow card.
This signalled for Maritzburg to throw men forward in attack and they started taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Still, it looked like they would not find any solace as they chipped away at the Stars defence, but had no luck in front of goal.
Finally, in the 85th minute Felix Obada levelled matters with a clinical finish when he got onto the end of a perfectly weighted low cross from Diouf, 1-1.
And then as the game looked to be heading towards a draw; in the final seconds of the match Diouf found the winner with a great long range shot which gave the keeper no chance, 2-1.
Scorers:
Maritzburg United (0) 2 (Obada 85’, Diouf 90+3’)
Platinum Stars (0) 1 (Msomi 49’)
Teams:
Maritzburg: Walters; Petersen (Matle 68’), Diouf, Hendricks, Sosibo (Ncubeni 71’); Obada, Morton, Lentjies, Evans; Olomu (F. Davids 53’), Sibisi
Stars: Mpontshane; Mpangase, Nkosi, Sambu, Thebakang (Mere 83’); Phala, Mkhabela, Msomi, Ntsikelelo, Ramolesa (Mbatha 60’); Botes
