TTM boost survival hopes with win over Maritzburg

AN eye-catching goal from Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo in the 68th minute made the difference as Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila earned a crucial 1-0 win over Maritzburg United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium yesterday.

After having spurned a good one on one goal opportunity just two minutes before, the 25-year-old showed good technique to slot the ball past Maritzburg keeper Marcel Engelhardt despite having had three Team of Choice defenders in his path.

Before the game, TTM boss Dylan Kerr indicated that his side would have to approach their remaining fixtures as though they are Cup finals if they are to retain their Premiership status.

Veteran forward Lerato Lamola started the game well and got behind the Maritzburg defence in the 11th minute but could not pick out a teammate.

TTM pressed and probed around the Maritzburg goal in the early stages of the first half but Maritzburg’s Ryan Rae in particular was impressive in cutting those out.

Maritzburg looked disjointed towards the end of the first half and in the second half. Had it not been for some composed goalkeeping from Engelhardt, they could easily have conceded at least two goals before the end of the first half.

The German goalkeeper made three saves in three minutes between the 38th and 40th minutes as he denied the likes of Thabo Rakhale and Ndlondlo.

Maritzburg’s attack, which has often been a bit overly dependent on the skills of Thabiso Kutumela, failed to really threaten TTM goalkeeper Washington Arubi in the first half. The closest that they came to scoring was in the 28th minute when Clayton Daniels unleashed a powerful shot which went off Arubi for a corner.

The 36-year-old Daniels put the ball in the back of the net a minute later but he was flagged for offside.

The result means that Maritzburg are back in the relegation battle, level on points with TTM and just three points clear of 15th place Chippa United.

TTM, who won the Nedbank Cup last week, have since leapfrogged Stellenbosch FC into 14th place in the standings.

Kerr’s side’s next two games are against Baroka FC and Chippa, before they conclude their season against unpredictable Orlando Pirates.