Goals from Bevan Fransman and Brian Onyango sealed all three points for the Team of Choice, yet it was hard-working Maboe who was presented the best player award, and was bandaged and bruised as he collected his well-earned accolade.
“Yeah, it was a war out there,” he told SuperSportTV after the game. “I had to take one for the team. I knew if I worked hard, anything was possible, and here I am with the Man-of-the-Match award.”
Maboe had tried to lob Bucs goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo late in the game, only for his shot to hit the crossbar, yet the midfielder was unconcerned, highlighting the greater importance of the result.
“I just wanted to lob it over the keeper, but it was just too much,” he explained. “It was an absorbing game, and we had to absorb the pressure in the last 15 minutes. We created a few opportunities which we should have put in the back of the net, but we’ll take the three points and the 2-1 scoreline.”
Maritzburg have no temporarily leap-frogged reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns into eighth in the Absa Premiership standings, yet Maboe knows there’s a long way to go.