Three consecutive wins shoot Cape Town City FC up the standings

Juan Zapata of Cape Town City and Bradley Cross of Maritzburg United fight for the ball during their DStv Premiership match. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Juan Zapata of Cape Town City and Bradley Cross of Maritzburg United fight for the ball during their DStv Premiership match. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Published Mar 5, 2023

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Cape Town - Cape Town City recorded their third successive win after a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Maritzburg United in their DStv Premiership match at the Harry Gwala Stadium, Pietermaritzburg, on Saturday evening.

The outcome has catapulted City into fifth place on the standings and suddenly their hopes of securing continental football loom large.

Maritzburg remained marooned in the relegation zone since the result marked their third successive defeat. They are in 15th place and at this rate, the relegation axe looms large.

At the start, Maritzburg grabbed the initiative as City seemed to sit back to deal with the home side's demanding brand of high-press football under coach Fadlu Davids.

Strangely during this time, City looked likelier to score, despite enjoying less possession, because of their penetrative counter-attacks. City's Cameroon attacker Bertrand Mani came closest to scoring during this phase after his header hit the upright midway through the first half.

In the second half, Maritzburg opened the scoring through Bradley Cross, who ran onto a ball inside the penalty area and unleashed a low drive past the City keeper Darren Keet.

As it turned out that was Maritzburg's final goal in the match as City produced a storming finish to score two goals in the space of four minutes just past the hour mark.

City defender Tariq Fielies engineered the side's first goal with an attacking foray deep into the opposition’s half. His cross into the box was met by Mduduzi Mdantsane, who scored in the 64th minute.

Four minutes later striker Khanyisa Mayo struck the match-winning blow with a left-footed shot and that marked the beginning of the end for Maritzburg.

@Herman_Gibbs