Kaizer Chiefs scored a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Maritzburg United in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership match at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday evening.
Lebogang Manyama nodded home from close range with two minutes of regulation time remaining after Thabiso Kutumela had opened the scoring early in the first-half. The result leaves the Team in Choice in 15th spot on the league standings, two points from safety, while Chiefs fall down to 11th.
Kutumela scored for the third game in a row as he fired past Daniel Akpeyi in the 15th minute after latching onto an inch-perfect pass from Jose Meza, albeit being in an offside position when the ball was played.
Maritzburg dominated the early exchanges and should’ve doubled their lead five minutes later but Bongokuhle Hlongwane headed over from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Chiefs finally conjured a chance through an unlikely source in the 40th minute as Willard Katsande got on the end of a cross, but his diving header went straight into the grateful arms of Marcel Engelhardt in the Maritzburg goal.
Gavin Hunt made three changes at the break as the Amakhosi aimed to fight their way back into the tie, but it was a familiar face who almost put the game to bed in the 78th minute as Judas Moseamedi, minutes after rising off the bench, watched his shot canon off the woodwork.
Woken up by the slice of good fortune, Manyama was only denied a goal in the 81st minute by a piece of defensive magic from Nazeer Allie who cleared the forward’s volley off the line.
But Manyama would get his goal in the 88th minute. Already on a yellow card, he was lucky not to be sent off after making contact with Riyaaz Ismael’s face moments earlier, but he rode his luck to great effect to head home from a Bernard Parker flick-on, albeit too from an offside position as the two teams ultimately settled for a share of the spoils.
Maritzburg United (1) 1 (Kutumela 15′)
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Manyama 88′)
MARITZBURG UNITED: Engelhardt; Morgan, Ismail, Allie, Rae (Ntshangase 84′), Tlolane (Modise 65′), Shandu (Bhengu 85′), Claasen, Meza (Hlubi 84′), Kutumela, Hlongwane (Moseamedi 71′).
KAIZER CHIEFS Akpeyi; Frosler, Cardoso, Mathoho, Zulu (Ngezana 46′), Katsande (Blom 46′), Ngcobo (Baccus 87′), Mashiane, Parker, Kambole (Nurkovic 46′), Manyama. © Backpage TXT.
SOURCED FROM THE PSL WEBSITE.
