Maritzburg United secured their third win of the DStv Premiership season with a 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Marumo Gallants FC on Saturday afternoon.
Sibusiso Sibeko started ahead of Ranga Chivaviro from the loss to Sekhukhune United in midweek, but Maritzburg debuted new signing Rafiq De Goede and gave Wayde Jooste another appearance.
It was a decent and lively opening that the Team of Choice put forward and build-up play from the back quite well too and furthermore kept their defensive lines in shape.
With the temperature extremely high, the match officials saw it fit to call a water-break to help both sets of players and the technical benches cool from the soaring heat.
Gallants managed to get in the overall context of play around the half-hour mark and had Thato Khiba brought a decent save off Renaldo Leaner in the opposite goal.
The Team of Choice pushed numbers forward before halftime and a rasping drive by Genino Palace from a promising area put goalkeeper Washington Arubi to work.
Maritzburg looked for a different turn of fortune a little in the second half with a free-kick by Lungelo Bhengu from a foul by Monde Mphambaniso, but the host parried.
On the other hand, Gallants added two offensive figures up top in Chivaviro for Sibeko as well as Ahmadou Bamba Soumaro for Joseph Malongoane.
The Team of Choice continued to show courage after a quiet spell and were ahead ten minutes from time after Tshepo Gumede found his own net whilst he looked to clear.
Maritzburg looked to add a second before time with a free-kick by Amadou Soukouna in the closing stages, but the effort failed to find target and 1-0 it concluded in Polokwane.
Confirmed line-ups:
Marumo Gallants: Arubi, Kumalo, Gumede, Khiba, Mabotja, Mdlinzo, Ngema, Mphambaniso, Otladisa, Molagoane, Sibeko.
Subs: Watenga, Kgoetyane, Pheko, Yidah, Makudubela, Soumaro, Maraisane, Chivaviro, Mohomi.
Maritzburg United: Leaner, Makume, De Goede, Bhengu, Graham, Human, Moloisane, Jooste, Palace, Kimvuidi, Samu
Subs: Ndlovu, Hlongwa, Soukouna, Macheke, Njoti, Ndengane, Van der Ross, Conco, Bennett
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