In a Premier Soccer League match between two relegation-threatened teams, Black Leopards beat Maritzburg United 1-0 at Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
The home team, Leopards, led 1-0 at half-time.
Only a few soccer lovers watched the game in which the first half belonged to Leopards and the second to Maritzburg United.
United’s left winger, Graham King, however, was unfortunate not to open the scoring when his shot went over the bar as early as the ninth minute.
As the game progressed, Leopards started dictating terms to United and it came as no surprise when striker Myron Shongwe scored in the 24th minute.
Leopards’ Walter Ramulondi had his chance to increase the score in the 39th minute but his weak shot went straight into the hands of United goalkeeper Dejan Bogunovic.
After a pep talk from their coach Heric Vladislav, United started playing as a more organised unit in the second half, attacking the home team.
Two minutes into the second half, United striker Sandile Ndlovu received a neat pass from King but his shot went over the bar with Leopards’ goalkeeper, Thabang Stemmer, well beaten.
The visitors thought they’d scored an equalising goal in the 51st minute but the referee disallowed the goal, citing that striker Ndlovu had pushed Stemmer.
Vladislav made some changes looking for an equaliser but the brick wall of the Leopards defence was too strong for the visitors to penetrate. — Sapa