Leopards edge Maritzburg in five-goal thriller
Black Leopards beat Maritzburg United 3-2 in an exciting Absa Premiership match played at the FNB Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Mwape Musonda of Black Leopards celebrates goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Black Leopards and Maritzburg United at the FNB Stadium. (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Even though the win was not enough to move Lidoda Duvha away from the bottom of the log, it took them level on points with 15th placed Polokwane City with five games to go before the end of the season.
Leopards started the better of the sides and they took the game to Maritzburg early on. They almost took the lead in the 15th minute, but Edwin Gyimah’s header hit the crossbar with Richard Ofori well-beaten.
Five minutes later, Lidoda Duvha finally took the lead through Mwape Musonda who capitalised on a fumble from Ofori before tapping home from close range.
Maritzburg’s first chance of the half fell to Bongokuhle Hlongwane in the 29th minute, but his clever touch missed the target by few inches.
Lefa Hlongwane doubled Leopards’ lead at the half-hour mark, finishing off a move from Musonda who powered his way past two Maritzburg defenders. Ofori tried to clear the ball, but it went straight to Hlongwane who powered it home into an empty net.
Keagan Buchanan pulled one back for the Blue Hearts in the 35th minute through a brilliantly taken free kick following Gyimah’s clumsy challenge on Daylon Claasen.
Mxolisi Kunene then grabbed the equaliser for Maritzburg just before the half-time break finishing off a quickly taken corner kick that caught the Leopards defence napping.
The game remained locked at 2-2 at the half-time break.
Lidoda Duvha came out with guns blazing in the second half and it came as no surprise when they regained their lead through debutant Tiklas Thutlwa who headed home a free kick.
Leopards hanged on to their slender lead until the final whistle.
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