After a thrilling 0-0 stalemate with Maritzburg United at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday night, Cape Town Spurs booked their spot in next season’s DStv Premiership following the conclusion of the PSL promotion playoffs.
Going into the game, Spurs required just one point against the Team of Choice to ensure top flight status for next season. As a whole, the Urban Warriors capped off an impressive promotion bid with three wins and one draw in four encounters.
In turn, Maritzburg United were relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
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— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) June 14, 2023
One month on since missing out automatic promotion, they get the job done ??????
Maritzburg have been relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship ? pic.twitter.com/iy3WxXkI2e
?? “IYAHAAAAAMBA i-Maritzburg.”
— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) June 14, 2023
The scenes at full-time narrated by @mapensela11 as Cape Town Spurs secured promotion back to the top-flight ?? pic.twitter.com/NlNXRbnPh7
The game got off to a frantic start, as a scrap for the ball broke out in the middle of the park. With Maritzburg and Spurs feeling each other out, crunching tackles and quick pressing from both teams set the early pace of the tie.
With the dust beginning to settle, the Team of Choice and Urban Warriors looked to build play from defensive positions, with the Mother City outfit seeing slightly more of the ball during the first 15 minutes of the counter.
While there were no clear attempts at goal midway through the first half, the game proved to be a prickly affair with the referee often called upon to diffuse heated situations.
The Team of Choice began seeing more of the ball after the half-hour mark and often took the direct route in looking to breach the Spurs backline. Not sitting back, Spurs hurried the opposition in turnover situations and pressed high up the pitch.
Nevertheless, Maritzburg and Spurs went into the break with the scores deadlocked at 0-0.
Both Maritzburg and Spurs maintained their spiky approach to the game at the beginning of the second half and did not hold back from making their presence felt in tackles.
The Urban Warriors endured an early stint of pressure in the subsequent half as the Team of Choice troubled the travelling side’s defence with teasing balls into the penalty area.
Maritzburg gained control of the encounter after the hour mark and penned Spurs back onto the edge of their 18-yard-area.
Under the cosh for the majority of the second 45, it took doggish defending from Spurs to remain in the game as the clock reached the 75th minute.
Maritzburg piled on the pressure without 10 minutes left on the clock and produced several goal-scoring opportunities in the process. However, Spurs sat tight and continued to soak up the home team’s pressure.
In the end, it was not to be for the home side, as Spurs managed to withstand Maritzburg’s mounting pressure to record a 0-0 stalemate at the Harry Gwala Stadium.
? Gratitude
— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) June 14, 2023
? Faith
? Family
? Celebrations
An emotional Shaun Bartlett lets it all out in this post-match interview ??
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Maritzburg United 0
Cape Town Spurs 0
MARITZBURG UNITED: Leaner, Cross, Makume, De Goede (Meza 65’) , Njoti (Tlolane 45’), Human (van der Ross 90’), Palace, Kimvuidi, Theron, Soukouna, Peprah
CAPE TOWN SPURS: Vyver, Dortley, Daniels, Brown, Allie, Morton (Phewa 65’), Nel, Stander, Moroole (Ngobe 85’), Butsaka (Velebayi 65’), Moosa (Ryan 76’)