The Team of Choice played for over an hour with a man short yet showed great courage and effort as theymanaged to come from a goal behind -thanks to substitute Jeremy Brockie’s second half equaliser.
Maritzburg had made a very promising start to the game but couldn’t capitalise as Daylon Claasen fired a shot straight at City keeper Peter Leeuwenburgh after a great through ball by Judas Moseamedi with just a minute played.
Moments later the roles were reversed as Claasen played in Moseamedi....but from a tight angle his shot was blocked by a defender.
With 20 minutes gone another slick move from the home side resulted in a chance for Keegan Buchanan, but from 18-yards out he curled his effort well over the bar.
United were then to find themselves down to 10 men when Gabriel Nyoni’s foul on Leeuwenburgh resulted in him being shown a straight red card.
Despite the numerical advantage the Team of Choice continued to create openings. But once more they could not profit as Moseamedi shot straight at Sage Stephens before Tebogo Tlolane just failed to get onto the end Mxolisi Kunene’s ball into the box.
There were more chances for the KZN Capital City side after the break, both falling to Buchanan, but the first was saved by Stephens and the second went over the bar.
At the other end, City midfielder Thabo Nodada went close with a half-volley.
It was Nodada who was to break the deadlock, after Bradley Ralani got to the byline on 55 minutes before squaring the ball for the former to sweep in from close range.
The Team of Choice however came fighting storming back and it took a sharp save by Stephens to keep out Tlolane eight minutes later.
Kunene then came even closer in the 70th minute when from out on the left his angled shot missed by the narrowest of margins.
With the home fans at a packed Harry Gwala Stadium spurring their men on, United had the equaliser in the 72nd minute when Brockie turned the ball in from close range after Stephens had spilled Claasen’s cross.
Man-of-the-Match Claasen was having a superb night and he again set up Brockie a few minutes later, but this time he was unable to find the target.
The game there for the taking in the dying stages, the hosts had a couple of half chances but couldn’t convert, while at the other end, the Citizens could have won it in injury time through Shane Roberts, but he lifted the ball over the bar from five yards out.
The Team of Choice though deserved to take at least a point for what was a very spirited performance.
TEAMS
Maritzburg: Ofori, Sanoka, De Reuck, Allie, Kunene, Nyoni, Buchanan, Ntshangase, Claasen, Tlolane, Moseamedi
Subs: Mpandle, Xulu, Kutumela, Timm, Mngonyama, Morgan, Brockie.
City: Leeuwenburgh, Mkhize, Fielies, Potouridis, Edmilson, Makola, Putsche, Nodada, Ralani, Lakay, Erasmus
Subs: Anderson, Kewuti, David, Mdantsane, Cupido, Roberts, Seedat
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