Maritzburg Bounces Back in Style, Magesi Takes Top Spot

Maritzburg United returned to winning ways in the Motsepe Foundation Championship on Wednesday evening, as they secured a comfortable 5-1 victory over Venda Football Academy at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium. The win took Maritzburg up to third on the table with 11 points while Venda dropped down to 14th with five points.

Elsewhere, Black Leopards won two games on the bounce for the first time after beating JDR Stars 2-0 at Thohoyandou Stadium. The win took Leopards up to tenth on the table with seven points while JDR dropped down to seventh after their first loss of the season.

New head coach Dan Malesela could not get Baroka their first victory in his first game in charge after a 1-1 draw against Upington City at Global Stadium. Jabulani Ndebele gave Upington the lead within the first six minutes but Sydney Malivha found the equaliser for Bakgaga with 17 minutes remaining. Baroka remained second-from-bottom with four points while Upington moved up to 13th on the log, both after six games.

University of Pretoria won their second game of the season after a last-gasp 1-0 win over Pretoria Callies in the Tshwane derby at Giant Stadium. After a goalless first stanza, Ayanda Mvambi scored a smash and grab winner for AmaTuks in stoppage time. AmaTuks moved up to sixth on the log with nine points while Callies fell down to 12th spot.

Platinum City Rovers clinched their first victory of the season in emphatic fashion after thrashing Casric Stars 3-0 at Isak Steyl Stadium. Simphiwe Ndlovu broke the deadlock for City Rovers on the stroke of half-time and the hosts doubled their lead early in the second stanza. The North West based side settled the contest with the third goal in the last minute. City Rovers climbed up to 11th on the log with five points while Casric dropped down to ninth.

Magesi climbed up to the top of the table despite a 1-1 draw against Milford on Tuesday afternoon at Princess Magogo Stadium. Dikwena should have been ahead on 16 minutes after they were awarded a penalty but Anathi Ngwadla could not find the target from the spot-kick. Siphosethu Ndlabi eventually broke the deadlock for Milford eight minutes before the interval, however, Tshepo Matsemela rescued a point for Magesi with the equaliser 13 minutes before time. Dikwena topped the table by a point after Orbit College were beaten for the first time while Milford remained at the bottom of the log with just two points after six rounds of matches.

Marumo Gallants bagged their second win of the season after a narrow 1-0 victory over NB La Masia on Tuesday afternoon at Isak Steyl Stadium. Masindi Nemtajela scored the only goal of the game for Gallants early in the first stanza. Bahlabane Ba Ntwa climbed up to fifth on the log with nine points while La Masia dropped down to eighth.

Hungry Lions handed Orbit College their first defeat of the season after edging them 1-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Windhoek Draught Park. Raymond Daniels sent Lions ahead within the first five minutes and that was enough to hand them back-to-back victories. Orbit dropped down to second spot on the table while Ditau Dia Rora moved up to fourth with 11 points.