MARITZBURG United and Free State Stars shared the spoils as they played to a 1-all draw in a match of two halves at Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night.

MARITZBURG United and Free State Stars shared the spoils as they played to a 1-all draw in a match of two halves at Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night.

Playing at home, The Team of Choice dominated the first half but could not make use of enormous pressure they exerted on the visitors from the first whistle.

It must be said that Stars were made to sweat for this draw and they must thank their lucky stars for salvaging a point six minutes from the final whistle.

Brice Aka put the home team ahead in the 28th minute when he completed a move involving veteran midfielder Bheka Phakathi and Noah Chivuta. But before this goal, both sides seemed to struggle to find their footing.

The first clear-cut chance on goal came in the 21st minute when Fadlu Davids forced a fine save out of Stars' keeper Kennedy Mweene. Davids curled a beautiful 20-yard free-kick around the defensive wall and towards goal, but Mweene dived full stretch to his right to tip the ball around the post.

United then applied pressure on the visitors' goal and found the breakthrough in the 28th minute when Aka scored to make it 1-0.

But Mor Diouf was adjudged to have pulled down Kingstone Nkhatha inside the box in the 84th minute. Duncan Lechesa levelled matters from the penalty spot.