Maritzburg clobber Free State in thriller

GOALS: Andrea Fileccia (46m), Evans Rusike (59m), Bandile Shandu (87m)

● Free State Stars chose the worst possible time to lose their sixth game of the season when Maritzburg United clobbered them 3-0 at Goble Park in Bethlehem.

Second half sucker-punch goals from Andrea Fileccia, Evans Rusike and Bandile Shandu handed Stars their first loss in 2018.

It was also their first defeat in five matches since their 3-0 hammering against Bloemfontein Celtic on December 10.

Had Free State won the game, they would have drawn level on points (31) with Mamelodi Sundowns, who faced off against struggling Platinum Stars in a later kickoff.

Maritzburg bounced back from their deflating 1-0 midweek home loss to SuperSport United in no uncertain terms to move to fourth with 27 points. They’ve won seven of their 18 matches with six draws.

Maritzburg will punish teams who don’t take them very seriously.

The “Team of Choice” was dealt an early blow when they lost talismanic captain Bevan Fransman in the 10th minute to a head injury after he collided with Free State Stars striker Siphelele Mthembu.

However, the visitors had the better of the first half as Badra Sangare’s excellent goalkeeping ensured the hosts didn’t concede.

The goalkeeper kept out two Deolin Mekoa free kicks in the 44th and 47th minutes as Fadlu Davids’s side shook off the home sides’ early aggressive intentions.

Maritzburg had the first real chance of the first stanza through live-wire midfielder Lebohang Maboe in the 27th minute.

While the shot didn’t bother Sangare, it was an indication of what was to come for the rest of the half. They received a stern talk from Davids during the water break and were the better side after that.

Three minutes later, Nyiko Mobbie was called on to make a superb tackle on Rusike in the box after Maritzburg weaved through the host’s midfield. On any other day Rusike would have had enough time to pick a spot and shoot but was blindsided by the tall right-back, whose tackle dispossessed the striker without fouling him.

However, it took Maritzburg United less than a minute in the second stanza to take the lead through Fileccia, whose first-time shot beat Sangare.

Maritzburg needed a top-notch save from Richard Ofori to keep out Bangaly Keita's 54th minute header.

Five minutes later the visitors scored through Rusike’s powerful long-range grasscutter that gave Sangare no chance.

Shandu’s goal three minutes from time sealed the match. — Sports Reporter