Maritzburg win to retain top-flight status

Maritzburg United beat Royal Eagles 2-0 at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban on Wednesday afternoon, with victory in the Absa Premiership/ National First Division promotion-relegation playoff enough to secure their top-flight status for another season.

Siphesihle Ndlovu and Thabiso Kutumela found the back of the net for the Team of Choice who secure their Premiership place with a game to spare.

#RoadToPSL- RESULT:

Royal Eagles 0-2 Maritzburg United

Maritzburg United have returned to the PSL with today's win against Royal Eagles pic.twitter.com/cdzr6T9oJh

— SuperSport (@SuperSportTV) May 29, 2019

Needing victory to keep their hopes of promotion alive, Eagles started the match brightly and should've opened the scoring in the 25th minute. Diego Brown lost his marker, but could only succeed in flashing his header over the crossbar from close range.

Eagles were made to rue their missed chances as Ndlovu struck home the opener in the 42nd minute.

The midfielder on hand to strike a rasping shot past Patrick Nyame following a quick counter-attack to give Maritzburg a narrow lead at the break.

#RoadToPSL- HALFTIME:

Royal Eagles 0-1 Maritzburg

*As it stands Maritzburg will return to the PSL. pic.twitter.com/RXlcddCwcT

— SuperSport (@SuperSportTV) May 29, 2019

Judas Moseamedi looked to have doubled the visitors' lead in the 70th minute, but the forward was rightfully flagged offside.

Maritzburg, though, did have their second three minutes later. Kutumela, who scored his club's opening goal of the playoffs, doubled the away side's lead with a curling free-kick that left Nyame with no chance.

Eric Tinkler's men continued to dominate proceedings and could've made the win even more convincing against a Eagles side who seemingly threw in the towel, but they failed to capitalise on a catalogue of late chances.

It mattered little, though, as the club successfully secured their spot in South Africa's top-flight for the 2019-20 season.

Royal Eagles (0) 0

Maritzburg United (1) 2 (Ndlovu 42' Kutumela 73')

Royal Eagles: Nyame; Cele, Bakah, Manganyi, Shezi, Stoffels, Mashiane, Nene, Brown (Tau 70'), Wambi (Mncube 76'), Zulu (Ntuli 59').

Maritzburg United: Ofori; Shandu, Allie, De Reuck, Onyango, Hlongwane (Kutumela 46'), Timm, Makaringe, Mekoa, Moseamedi (Mokate 73'), Ndlovu (Sanoka 81').