Maritzburg broke with pace early on, eager to leave nothing to chance on the counterattack. After a slow start, Highlands creep up a few chances of their own but lacked the killer instinct.
Following the quarter mark, the Team of Choice did put in a few penetrative measures to breaking through but their front-three lacked the desired effect.
After a scrappy affair and with merely shots from afar, the Lions of the North went ahead thanks to a stunning finish by Moeketsi Sekola after a good pass from Denzil Hoaseb five minutes to the break.
In the second half, United pressed for the come back but weren’t able to break down a stubborn Highlands backline.
With a few chances propping up inside the box on either end but the danger was quickly averted on either end.
The Lions of the North did manage a threat on a few occasions to doubling their tally and Lindokuhle Mbatha’s curling left-footer was forced away by Bongani Mpandle.
Fadlu Davids introduced his first change of the evening as Keletso Makgalwa replaced an ineffective Deolin Mekoa.
The Team of Choice equalised through the boot of Siphesihle Ndlovu showing his prowess inside the box. The visitors were rattled and crumbled afterwards.
Mohau Mokate as a result propped up inside the box to kill off the contest and hand the hosts a quarterfinal passage.