ABSA Premiership
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-2 Maritzburg United
Date: 20 December 2013
Venue: Loftus Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns grabbed a late equalizer to draw 2-2 with Maritzburg United at Loftus Stadium in an ABSA Premiership match on Friday night.
Katlego Mashego and Khama Billiat scored for Sundowns, while Orlando Smeekes and Mario Booysen scored for the Team of Choice.
Sundowns, who would have moved into first position with a win will rue their missed opportunities after Mashego scored early for Sundowns, and could have given Sundowns a 2-0 lead from the penalty spot, but his shot hit the crossbar, and seconds later Maritzburg got the equaliser.
Maritzburg pick up their first points in six games after five consecutive losses.
Sundowns took the lead in the 10th minute, when Katlego Mashego scored his sixth goal of the season from close range after being set up with a great pass by Elias Pelembe.
In the 17th minute Mashego tried from outside the box, but a diving Shu-Aib Walters got a touch to deflect it out for a corner.
In the 28th minute Dove Wome turned and shot from the edge of the area, but Walters made a good diving save to deny him.
Sundowns were awarded a penalty in the 32nd minute when Mohammed Awal brought Khama Billiat down just inside the box.
But Sundowns couldn't double their lead, as Mashego's shot from the spot canned into the cross-bar and back into play, and was cleared to safety.
Maritzburg then found the equaliser a minute later through Orlando Smeekes, who raced into the box to head home Thamsanqa Mkhize's cross to make it 1-1.
Wome tried a shot from outside the area in the 37th minute, but his attempt flew over the goal.
Thabang Matuka tried a shot from the edge of the area in the 40th minute, but substitute Wayne Arendse made a good block to deny him.
Just before half-time Wome tried a long range shot, but the ball was straight at Walters, and it remained 1-1 at the break.
In the 52nd minute Teko Modise tried a long range shot, but it went high and wide.
Seconds later Billiat should have doubled the lead, but when one-on-one with Walters, he somehow shot wide of the goal.
In the 69th minute Mashego tried to head Sundowns into the lead, but his effort went wide to the left.
Two minutes later Maritzburg went into the lead when Mario Booysen got a touch onto a Ruben Cloete free kick and the ball hit the post and bounced into the goal off Kennedy Mweene.
In the 76th minute Smeekes tried a shot from just inside the box, but his attempt sailed high and wide.
In the 80th minute Modise tried a shot from long range, but it took a deflection and went out for a corner.
Walters kept Maritzburg in the lead when in the 84th minute he made a fantastic one-handed save to deny Alje Schut from heading in the equaliser.
A minute later, with Schut staying forward, Walters was back in the action saving as the Sundowns' captain sent in another header.
In the 88th minute Schut tried to score directly from a free kick on the edge of the area, but his shot flew just over.
But it wasn't to be for the Team of Choice, as Billiat pounced on a ball just inside the area and hit it with his right foot and it took a deflection past Walters to make it 2-2.
This is how they started:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Kennedy Mweene, Punch Masanamela, Alje Schut, Rashid Sumaila, Bryce Moon, Teko Modise, Jabulani Shongwe, Dove Wome, Khama Billiat, Katlego Mashego, Elias Pelembe
Maritzburg United: Shu-Aib Walters, Mario Booysen, Mohammed Awal, Ruben Cloete, Thamsanqa Mkhize, David Booysen, Ryan De Jongh, Bandile Shandu, Thabang Matuka, Thokozani Sekotlong, Orlando Smeekes
