By Chris Totobela
Hordes of local football lovers braved chilly weather to watch Makhanda’s top side Maru FC as they hosted Komani-based Seven Stars in their ABC Motsepe league clash at the Rhodes University Upper Prospect field this past weekend.
Maru FC holds the key to Makhanda possibly tasting professional football in the future and the team has the backing of their supporters who packed the field when the local side took on Seven Stars.
The game started with both teams on attack mode. Seven Stars had the better of the early exchanges, putting the local side under pressure while forcing Maru’s goalminder to come up with crucial saves. The young goalkeeper used his reflexes well to keep Maru in the game. Maru’s chances were few and far between and neither team managed a goal in the first period.
In the second half, Maru played with more purpose in search of an opener, but wasted good opportunities. However, the home side finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when halftime substitute Lindokuhle Mdoko steered home a powerful header from a well-taken set piece on the right, to give his side the lead. Seven Stars seemed rattled by the goal and rushed their game, thus committing errors. They were made to pay in the 79th minute when goal poacher Vuyani “Sniper” Skeyi finished off a great move that left the Seven Stars defence for dead, giving the local team a 2-0 lead.
Maru kept the visitors under enormous pressure, but let them off the hook as they failed to kill the game off. The home side paid dearly for their wasted chances in the last minute of the game when an unmarked Seven Stars left winger scored from six yards, sparking a frantic conclusion to the game.
However, it was too little too late for the Komani outfit as the referee blew the final whistle.
Maru’s head coach Siya Dumiso spoke lamented the missed chances, but was happy with the victory. “It was a game of two halves as they took the game to us in the first half and ran at us, but we managed to absorb the pressure.” At halftime, Dumiso said he was forced to substitute a young central defender who was struggling a bit and brought on an experienced player. “That move paid off. I also instructed my boys to keep running at them and wear them down as they looked like tiring in the later stages of the game and we managed to score two quick goals. We missed a lot of chances and that is something that we hope to fix at training.”
Dumiso went on to thank the people of Makhanda for their support and urged them to keep coming in numbers to support the boys.
This weekend, Maru will be off to Lady Grey to face EMI in their next ABC Motsepe league encounter.
