Publications
Partners
Pietermaritzburg - A goal on debut from Mike Mohammed added to strikes for Nhlahla Vilakazi and Sheldon van Wyk helped Maritzburg United climb to fourth on the PSL table with a resounding 3-0 win over Chippa United at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.
Ghanaian Mohammed headed in the opener after 21 minutes, before Vilakazi curled in expertly after 51 minutes.
Substitute Van Wyk added a third with five minutes to play giving the Team of Choice an excellent win.
Chippa created several half chances during the early stages, although they were all wasted by Mhlengi Cele, Joseph Molongoane and Mpho Mvelase.
Maritzburg had to wait almost 15 minutes for their first opening as Thamsanqa Mkhize forced debutant Ghanaian goalkeeper Fatau Dauda.
That chance seemed to lift the tempo with Khumbulani Banda's ambitious effort from the left almost catching out the Chippa custodian, who gathered at the second attempt.
But there was nothing Dauda could do to prevent the opener as Zimbabwean Banda was forced into the left corner, where he delivered an inviting cross to the centre of the penalty area that was headed in my Mohammed.
Chippa responded almost instantly with a sweeping move that ended with Mhlengi Cele striking the crossbar from just inside the penalty area.
The lead was then almost doubled from the ensuing counter attack as Banda's drilled low cross from the left was crashed onto the crossbar and back onto the line by Mondli Cele -- the Chilli Boys fortunate to escape.
And they should have been level before the break when William Twala somehow ballooned over after the ball was laid on the plate for him by David Zulu from the left.
The men from Port Elizabeth were made to pay for that miss six minutes into the second half as a fluid counter attack saw Banda and Mohammed set up Vilakazi, who curled in expertly from just outside the box.
Again there was a strong response from Chippa with captain Andile Mbenyane forcing Virgil Vries to make his first real save of the night, a diving stop to his left.
Steve Komphela's men continued to play with enterprise and vigour as another Banda cross from the left was cushioned into the path of Mkhize, who forced the Black Stars' World Cup goalkeeper to react acrobatically and turn the ball away for a corner.
Vries showed he was also no slouch in goal, turning away a point-blank header from Mhlengi Cele, the rebound wastefully slid wide by Mbenyane.
Thamsanqa Sangweni almost pulled a goal back with 15 minutes to play when he curled a free-kick inches wide, before the home side struck again five minutes from time when Van Wyk scored, beating the desperate efforts of Siyabonga Zulu, who saved on the line and then had the ball deflect of his head on his way in.
