Maritzburg pay the penalty as Chippa storm back to win in PE

Cameroonian striker Bienvenu Eva Nga netted a hat-trick as Chippa United picked up their first victory of the season on Tuesday evening at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, inflicting further pain, in the form of a 3-1 DStv Premiership win, on a Maritzburg United side that have had the worst possible start to the 2020/21 campaign.

Not only was this the Team of Choice’s fourth straight defeat in all competitions since the new season kicked off, Eric Tinkler’s side also had a man sent off for a second game in a row, Sibusiso Hlubi deservedly seeing red for a leg-breaking over-the-top tackle on Sizwe Mdlinzo.

By then, Maritzburg were already 3-1 down, their ill-discipline also showing in two penalties conceded to Chippa, both cooly dispatched by Eva Nga. In the 24th minute, Mbourou Bongo tripped Augustine Kwen inside the box, enable Eva Nga to step up and beat Jethren Barr to level the scores at 1-1.

And then, just before the hour mark, Barr came off his line and mis-timed a tackle on Eva Nga, conceding another clear spot kick, which Eva Nga again put away.

And the hat-trick was completed seven minutes later, as the Cameroonian, who netted just two league goals for Bidvest Wits in the whole 2020/21 season, ran onto a fine pass from Tumiso Mogakwe and finished low past Barr.

It had all looked so bright for Maritzburg earlier in the game as Daylon Claasen put them in front. The former Wits midfielder played the ball to Keagan Buchanan, who had a shot, but rather scuffed the effort, which fell at the feet of Claasen, who had run into the area, and he beat Veli Mothwa.

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