Pietermaritzburg - Two goals within the first 10 minutes of the match saw Maritzburg United to a 2-0 victory over Black Aces in the PSL on Wednesday night.
WRAP: PSL
Early strikes from Ayanda Nkosi and Mario Booysen set the Team of Choice on the path to victory, and when AmaZayoni had a man sent off in the first half, the home side was able to cruise for the rest of the game.
Maritzburg got off to a flying start and opened the scoring in just the fourth minute of the match.
A simple long ball saw debutant Ayanda Nkosi spring the offside trap, hold off a challenge from Omar Hendricks and calmly finish past goalkeeper Bafana Nhlapo.
Just three minutes later the Team of Choice doubled their advantage. A cross was floated into the penalty area from a free kick and Mario Booysen got between two Aces defenders to power home a towering header.
On 14 minutes Nkosi almost scored a third goal for the hosts. A long diagonal ball sent striker Yakubu Mohammed free down the left, he in turn picked out a great cross to find Nkosi, but the youngster’s first-time shot was well saved by Nhlapo.
Ten minutes later Ofentse Nato almost pulled one back for AmaZayoni with a superbly struck long range effort, but Shu-Aib Walters showed his class in tipping the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.
On the half hour mark things went from bad to worse for Aces.
The visitors seemed to be gaining a foothold in the game, but were suddenly reduced to 10 men when midfielder Sandile Zuke was shown a straight red card for a studs-up, two-footed challenge on Michael Morton.
Despite being a man down, Aces should have halved the deficit early in the second half. A corner kick was flicked-on at the near post and fell kindly for Eduardo Ferreira, but the Brazilian centre-back directed his close-range effort over the target.
Substitute Thabang Mathuka should have made it 3-0 with just over a quarter hour to play, as he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper in the penalty area, but Nhlapo made a fine block to keep the score line respectable.
Scorers:
Maritzburg United (2) 2 (Nkosi 4’, M. Booysen 7’)
MP Black Aces 0
Maritzburg United: Walters, Evans, Johannes, M. Booysen, Cloete, Mkhize, De Jongh, Morton (Awal 85’), Nkosi (Mandaza 64’), Hartog, Mohammed (Mathuka 54’)
Black Aces: Nhlapo, Mabaso, Ferreira, Mwanjale, Hendricks, Qalinge (Tukane 78’), Zuke, Zwane (Mtsweni 89’), Nato, Nale (Ngobeni 70’), Khenyeza
WRAP: PSL
Early strikes from Ayanda Nkosi and Mario Booysen set the Team of Choice on the path to victory, and when AmaZayoni had a man sent off in the first half, the home side was able to cruise for the rest of the game.
Maritzburg got off to a flying start and opened the scoring in just the fourth minute of the match.
A simple long ball saw debutant Ayanda Nkosi spring the offside trap, hold off a challenge from Omar Hendricks and calmly finish past goalkeeper Bafana Nhlapo.
Just three minutes later the Team of Choice doubled their advantage. A cross was floated into the penalty area from a free kick and Mario Booysen got between two Aces defenders to power home a towering header.
On 14 minutes Nkosi almost scored a third goal for the hosts. A long diagonal ball sent striker Yakubu Mohammed free down the left, he in turn picked out a great cross to find Nkosi, but the youngster’s first-time shot was well saved by Nhlapo.
Ten minutes later Ofentse Nato almost pulled one back for AmaZayoni with a superbly struck long range effort, but Shu-Aib Walters showed his class in tipping the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.
On the half hour mark things went from bad to worse for Aces.
The visitors seemed to be gaining a foothold in the game, but were suddenly reduced to 10 men when midfielder Sandile Zuke was shown a straight red card for a studs-up, two-footed challenge on Michael Morton.
Despite being a man down, Aces should have halved the deficit early in the second half. A corner kick was flicked-on at the near post and fell kindly for Eduardo Ferreira, but the Brazilian centre-back directed his close-range effort over the target.
Substitute Thabang Mathuka should have made it 3-0 with just over a quarter hour to play, as he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper in the penalty area, but Nhlapo made a fine block to keep the score line respectable.
Scorers:
Maritzburg United (2) 2 (Nkosi 4’, M. Booysen 7’)
MP Black Aces 0
Maritzburg United: Walters, Evans, Johannes, M. Booysen, Cloete, Mkhize, De Jongh, Morton (Awal 85’), Nkosi (Mandaza 64’), Hartog, Mohammed (Mathuka 54’)
Black Aces: Nhlapo, Mabaso, Ferreira, Mwanjale, Hendricks, Qalinge (Tukane 78’), Zuke, Zwane (Mtsweni 89’), Nato, Nale (Ngobeni 70’), Khenyeza