Johannesburg – Zambian Friday Samu scored as lowly Maritzburg United upset Royal AM 1-0 on Wednesday to leave the race for second place in the South African Premiership wide open.
Samu, a 26-year-old international forward who joined United in mid-2021, claimed his fourth league goal of the season by nodding a corner part Cameroonian goalkeeper Hugo Nyame on 22 minutes.
It was a rare highlight in a dour duel as hosts Maritzburg reinforced a reputation for claiming prized scalps in the richest African football league, with a R15 million ($970,000/915,000 euros) first prize.
Advantage Maritzburg at Harry Gwala stadium ?
Samu heads home Ritchie’s corner kick to open the scoring.
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Success ended a five-match winless run by United, whose last victory came on March 5 against Mamelodi Sundowns, who have since clinched a record-extending fifth straight title.
“We had a lot of energy tonight, and good game management in the closing stages,” said veteran Maritzburg centre-back Clayton Daniels, who was voted man of the match.
“It is great to have the fans back (after coronavirus-induced restrictions) and we always want to make them proud. They lift us so much. Why do we perform so well against the top teams and struggle against lesser ones? I do not have an exact answer, but part of the reason may be that we play without fear against the big boys.
“These three points will go a long way toward ensuring our survival after a challenging season. We are not safe yet, but are heading in the right direction,” he added.
Goal difference
Royal remained second despite the loss, but is ahead of Cape Town City only on goal difference, with Kaizer Chiefs fourth, three points behind with three rounds remaining.
Apart from the second prize of R7.5 million, the Premiership runners-up qualify for the 2022-2023 CAF Champions League with Sundowns.
Royal lost a couple of hours after Cape Town stretched an unbeaten run to 11 matches by drawing 0-0 away to Chippa United in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).
Chiefs snapped a four-match losing streak with a 1-0 win over Marumo Gallants on Tuesday through a goal from Keagan Dolly, reportedly the highest-paid Premiership star with a R1.45 million monthly salary.
ALSO READ: Mamelodi Sundowns seal fifth straight South African league title
The club finishing third goes into the CAF Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League, with FA Cup winners or runners-up Marumo.
Gallants are guaranteed a second successive appearance in Africa as final opponents Sundowns have secured a Champions League slot for the eighth straight season.
Bottom club Baroka edged Golden Arrows 1-0 through a Bonginkosi Makume penalty, but are two points behind Swallows, and remain likely to be relegated.
The club finishing second last goes into play-offs with two-second division teams for one Premiership place, and Swallows are three points adrift of TS Galaxy.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@Makonco_M
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