Late Mvelase header denies Maritzburg a precious win

Maritzburg United have just two games to preserve their DStv Premiership status after being held to a 2-2 draw by Marumo Gallants at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday night.

Fadlu Davids' side took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break after Brandon Theron broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute but Ranga Chivaviro hit back for Bahlabane Ba Ntwa on 73 minutes, although parity lasted just eight minutes as Amadou Soukouna restored the Team of Choice's lead from the penalty spot.

Their hopes of a first win in four matches were dashed at the death, though, when Mpho Mvelase popped up to snatch a dramatic equaliser for Gallants, who extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

The hosts made a bright start in Pietermaritzburg, creating three chances in the opening 15 minutes as Jose Meza pushed his shot to the right of the goal from inside the box and Bonginkosi Makume directed a header wide of the left post before the Venezuelan tested Washington Arubi with a strike from range.

Sibusiso Sibeko wasted a good opportunity to open the scoring at the other end on 20 minutes when he fired wide from close range after being picked out by Lesiba Nku and Gallants were made to pay just after the half-hour mark as Theron beat Arubi with a cracker from outside the box that flew into the top left corner of the net.

? 73’ Chivaviro
? 81’ Soukouna (P)
? 90+2’ Mvelase

The final 20 minutes of the Maritzburg ?? Marumo match was nail-biting ??#DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/KvEaPDO3ta

— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) May 3, 2023

The visitors looked to respond and Letsie Koapeng forced King Ndlovu into a save at his near post with a shot from close range on the right in the 41st minute before Katlego Otladisa just missed the target with a free-kick on 43 minutes.

Soukouna threatened to double Maritzburg's lead on the stroke of halftime with a long-range effort that was well saved by Arubi, while Sibusiso Kumalo nearly restored parity early in the second half but saw his shot from outside the area drift just to the right of the goal.

Mvelase also went close with a shot from range that flashed wide of the left post on 52 minutes before he forced Ndlovu into a save at his near post from inside the box on the left 12 minutes later.

But it was the in-form Chivaviro who eventually found the equaliser on 73 minutes as he picked out the bottom left corner of the net from inside the area to register his 10th goal of the season.

Katlego Otladisa was just inches away from giving Gallants the lead four minutes later when his shot from range sailed just beyond the right post but they fell behind again soon afterwards as Genino Palace was brought down by Olivier Toure inside the box and Soukouna converted the resulting spot-kick.

However, the win the Team of Choice were so desperately seeking slipped through their fingers when Mvelase headed home a free-kick in the second minute of stoppage time to earn Gallants a share of the spoils.

Maritzburg United (1) 2 (Theron 33', Soukouna 81' PEN)

Marumo Gallants (0) 2 (Chivaviro 73', Mvelase 90+2')

Maritzburg United: K. Ndlovu, T. Moloisane, R. De Goede, B. Makume, B. Cross, B. Theron (G. Palace 52'), R. Human, A. Ndengane, J. Meza (L. Bhengu 62'), K. Kimvuidi (F. Samu 84'), A. Soukouna (T. Graham 84').

Marumo Gallants: W. Arubi, M. Mvelase, T. Gumede, O. Toure, L. Mabotja (M. Makudubela 27'), S. Sibeko, L. Mohomi, L. Nku (D. Manaka 46'), M. Mphambaniso (S. Kumalo 46'), K. Otladisa, L. Koapeng (R. Chivaviro 70').