Maritzburg United produced a fired-up performance to beat Moroka Swallows 3-1 in an Absa Premiership game at Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night that will go a long way to ensuring the KwaZulu-Natal team’s relegation safety.
United’s goals came via a 23rd-minute header from Sylla Mbemba and a brace by striker Fadlu Davids in the 37th and 75th minutes.
Swallows’ reply came from a long-range strike by Kagisho Denge in the 52nd minute.
United need two points from their remaining two games to be completely clear of relegation, but will also be safe if Bloemfontein Celtic lose to Platinum Stars at Free State Stadium on Sunday.
Swallows, a team hungry to finish in the top eight, looked dangerous in the opening exchanges. But a fired-up United slowly wrestled control of midfield and started to create some good clearcut chances.
In the fifth minute, United winger Tony Tsabedze’s ball from the left of the area was deflected off defender Davi Rancan and had to be desperately kept out by goalkeeper Greg Etafia.
Swallows’ best chance of the half came two minutes later when danger man Sandile Ndlovu headed Cecil Oersen’s corner hard into the ground and off the crossbar.
In the 18th minute, Davids put Brice Aka through in a one-on-one with Etafia but the striker could not slip the ball past the keeper. In a shocking piece of officiating, referee Robert Sithole did not pick up that Etafia had made his save well outside the penalty area, and should have been red-carded.
United opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when left-wing Tsabedze popped up on the right of the area and showed skill and persistence to get in a chip to the far post, where midfielder Sylla Mbemba headed in off the upright.
Three minutes later, John Arwuah’s powerful header from Tsabedze’s corner was well saved by Etafia and Mbemba scrambled the rebound just wide.
In a rare chance for Swallows, Ndlovu had space to turn in the area but his tame shot was easily saved by Michel Babale.
United made it 2-0 in the 37th minute when Davids’s well-struck, skimming shot beat Etafia from 30 metres.
Swallows pulled a goal back seven minutes into the second half when Babale appeared unsighted and remained rooted to the spot as Kagiso Denge’s 30m effort sailed into the top right corner.
The home team remained on the ascendancy and in the 57th minute Davids put Tsabedze through to produce another great save from Etafia.
United made it 3-1 in the 57th minute when Davids headed in Tsabedze’s corner for his
With seven minutes left, Babale awkwardly saved Rancan’s 25m free-kick. – Sapa