Cape Town Spurs secured promotion to the DStv Premiership after holding Maritzburg United to a 0-0 draw at Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday evening.
It was a fiery start to the match with tackles flying as both dugouts voiced their displeasure at the nature of the challenges being made. Kwame Peprah lunged in with a dangerous tackle on Morne Nel and received a yellow card. Meanwhile, Michael Morton was cautioned for complaining too vociferously to the referee at the tackle from the former Orlando Pirates striker.
🔴 Cape Town Spurs PROMOTED and Maritzburg United RELEGATED‼️ pic.twitter.com/cGBMLhgEQY
— Mazola J. Molefe (@superjourno) June 14, 2023
It was a very cagey approach from both sides, which suited Spurs better as they only needed a single point while Maritzburg needed to win.
Indeed, both sides’ approach was so defensive-minded that there were no clear cut opportunities created until right on the stroke of half-time when Therlow Moosa of Spurs headed wide from close-range from a long throw-in.
As expected Maritzburg came out for the second half with more attacking impetus and three minutes after the resumption Bradley Cross’s headed effort went slightly over the bar.
Soon after, Spurs responded when Chumani Butsaka played in Cohen Stander, who opted for power instead of placement and as a result skied his effort over the bar.
𝗨𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞‼️
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) June 14, 2023
Cape Town Spurs have been promoted to the DStv Premiership after five years in the National First Division, with a goalless draw at Maritzburg United enough to win the PSL play-offs.
Congrats @CapeTownSpursFC 👏 pic.twitter.com/xa4TXEDqvj
The Pietermaritzburg crowd were growing increasingly frustrated as the clock ticked away. The KZN side responded to their fans by pushing more and more men forward while Spurs in turn began to get all ten men behind the ball besides their goalkeeper.
Former Maritzburg duo Clayton Daniels and Nazier Allie were coming back to haunt their former side as they were having superb games at the heart of the Spurs defence in the face of unrelenting pressure from Fadlu Davids’ side.
And in the end a colossal defensive effort from Shaun Bartlett’s side saw them come away with the point they needed to become the first lower-tier side to win the playoffs since Black Leopards over five years ago, while Maritzburg will be playing in the Motsepe Fooundation Championship next season.
