Gift Links scored a superb goal as Cape Town City kept up their streak of hot form and piled more misery on bottom club Maritzburg United with a 3-2 victory in their Absa Premiership clash at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday. Captain Thami Khize put City ahead early on but Maritzburg found an equaliser with a rare foray forward just past the hour-mark when Mxolisi Kunene netted. Links showed superb technique to fire his side into the lead, before Riyaad Norodien added a third and the game looked safe. United set up a grandstand finish though when Fortune Makaringe crashed the ball home with six minutes remaining, though they could not steal a point at the end. City are next in action on Wednesday when they travel to Mamelodi Sundowns for another massive clash in the title race. Maritzburg host AmaZulu on Friday. Kermit Erasmus struck the post early on following a fine run into the box, with the rebound eluding the City attackers in the box. City were dominant in the opening stages and deservedly took the lead after seven minutes when Mkhize turned home a corner with his chest to score his third goal in five games. City took their lead into the halftime break and continued to press after the interval, but United found an equaliser out of nothing on 62 minutes with their first shot on goal, Kunene played in behind the defence and slipping the ball past home goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh. But City regained the lead when Maritzburg coughed up possession in the midfield and Teko Modise set Links on goal, the young winger drilling the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Substitute Norodien looked to have sealed the points when he saw his deflected shot beat Ofori, but United midfielder Makaringe set up a nervous finish when he crashed the ball home from 10 yards. Maritzburg defender Rushine de Reuck received a second yellow card deep in injury-time, and a fight ensued as he walked down the tunnel with both benches getting involved and forcing a stop in the game before peace was restored.<doc-sep>EXTRA TIME: Benni McCarthy and fans react to Cape Town City vs. Maritzburg tunnel fight One of Bafana Bafana's most famous sons has been involved in a controversial incident over the weekend's Premier Soccer League action Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy is seen in the thick of the action with his players rushing into the team tunnel and getting involved in a bust-up with Maritzburg United. A number of McCarthy fans have come out in support of the FC Porto legend, but on the other hand he is also receiving his fair share of criticism. One can read all the reaction on Twitter, with the highlights included below. As reported on Goal earlier in the day, this is what enraged both teams at the end of the game. "Things got heated when Rushine De Reuck went to fetch the ball on the Cape Town City bench only for one of the club officials to withhold it in an attempt to the delay the game. "At the time, the Citizens were leading 3-2 deep into stoppage time, and De Reuck wanted to resume play as soon as possible as his side was looking for a goal that would have salvaged a point for them. De Reuck then shoved the official but the City bench reacted angrily in retaliation and protested that the Maritzburg Utd player be given his second yellow which the referee did, resulting in a red card. "As the player left the pitch, the fourth official alerted the match referee that the Cape Town City official was also guilty and that also resulted in a dismissal. The two individuals took their fight to the tunnel, and the two benches rushed to intervene, with City head coach Benni McCarthy as well as Maritzburg United goalkeeper coach Ronnie Kananelo among those who went in to protect their own. However, it is unclear at this stage as to who started the fight between De Reuck and City's official in the tunnel." Benni McCarthy claims that he was defusing the situation there but he’s caught on camera ekrwitsha enye indoda. — D Y A N I (@tdyani) February 26, 2019 Benni McCarthy must be arrested — Tshifhiwa (@blackpresidante) February 26, 2019 "The provocation and players snapping is because of the situation they're in. For us we are very touchy after injuries to Nodada and Putsche. We also want to show we are not pushovers. The tunnel incident was just a continuity"- Benni McCarthy on the brawl @SAfmRadio @SPORTATSABC — Tracksuit (@ThabisoMosia) February 26, 2019 "This time I was diffusing the situation. This time I was not in the middle of it. But when I was stopping one, then another fight would break out. When you're rock bottom the tempers will flare cos they wanna get out" Benni McCarthy on the brawl @SAfmRadio @SPORTATSABC — Tracksuit (@ThabisoMosia) February 26, 2019 "I saw the commotion and when I looked, I saw Rusike and then their players coming towards our bench. I genuinely don't know what caused it.But De Reuck pushed my coach Riaan.Obviously our players are not gonna keep quiet"- Benni McCarthy on the brawl @SAfmRadio @SPORTATSABC — Tracksuit (@ThabisoMosia) February 26, 2019 Pitso Mosimane sees a future Bafana Bafana coach in @CapeTownCityFC Benni McCarthy, Do you agree? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/U2k6BGodAM — ZoBo Football Blog (@ZoboFootball) February 26, 2019 Footage has emerged of Cape Town City head coach Benni McCarthy involved in a shocking altercation — Tuks FM 107.2 News (@TuksFMNews) February 26, 2019 #BenniMcCarthy: Footage has been circulating on social media of Cape Town City head coach Benni McCarthy who was allegedly involved in a brawl in the players' tunnel after a heated Maritzburg United clash on Saturday. Your thoughts? Send us a WhatsApp voice note to 082 777 0735. — Open News (@OpenNewsSA) February 26, 2019 Benni McCarthy in the area! — Simnikiwe Xabanisa (@simxabanisa) February 26, 2019 Benni McCarthy is a media favourite that is why his touchline antics are always overlooked, but if it was Pitso or a coach from Chiefs or Pirates journalists would be baying for blood. It helps having friends in the right places. — Maphango ❤🖤💚 (@zukoZEKA) February 26, 2019 Benni McCarthy is always in a ‘phuma silwe’ mood. — Tshezi (@simphiw_) February 26, 2019 Dear ladies.... Get yourself a boyfriend that will protect you the way Benni McCarthy protects his Cape Town City players. Thank me later. — Marks Nkuna (@MarksNkuna) February 26, 2019 No difference to the Benni Mccarthy one that the media is ignoring — Ole Ball (@KabeloBafana) February 26, 2019 No slander against Benni McCarthy shall be tolerated here. That man can never do wrong in my eyes. I blame the other guy, he probably provoked my man first. 😆 — Sephiri Mosothoane™ (@SEPHIRI_M) February 26, 2019 Benni McCarthy most of the time isn't a good example to his players and the kids.If it isn't him swearing on tv then he is fighting. https://t.co/iYxNkT39z1 — Sundowns Fanatic 🌟 (@Madumetja_SoLo) February 26, 2019<doc-sep>The PSL said the matter is now with an independent prosecutor who will analyse the footage and decide on a course of action. CAPE TOWN - The Premier Soccer League has confirmed to EWN Sport that it has received the footage of a fight which occurred during a heated clash between Cape Town City and Maritzburg United at Athlone Stadium at the weekend. The matter is now with an independent prosecutor who will analyse the footage and decide on a course of action, the PSL said. Footage has emerged of Cape Town City head coach Benni McCarthy and members of the Maritzburg United coaching staff involved in a brawl in the players' tunnel. PSL Head of Communication Luxolo September said: "We have received the match commissioner's report and we've seen the footage but the important thing is we are always guided by the principles in the internal process that we have. "In this case, what we have is an independent prosecutor who is looking into this, the prosecutor makes a decision on his own. We will now hear from him on what's next on the issue. At this present moment, we don't know when he will get back to us but we will hear from him."<doc-sep>
VIDEO: Cape Town City and Maritzburg United involved in tunnel bust-up Both Cape Town City and Maritzburg United could face the music from the PSL for an incident that took place in the tunnel on Saturday afternoon A scuffle broke in the tunnel in a league match between Cape Town City and Maritzburg United this past weekend, and both teams could be in hot water with the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Things got heated when Rushine De Reuck went to fetch the ball on the Cape Town City bench only for one of the club officials to withhold it in an attempt to the delay the game. At the time, the Citizens were leading 3-2 deep into stoppage time, and De Reuck wanted to resume play as soon as possible as his side was looking for a goal that would have salvaged a point for them. De Reuck then shoved the official but the City bench reacted angrily in retaliation and protested that the Maritzburg Utd player be given his second yellow which the referee did, resulting in a red card. As the player left the pitch, the fourth official alerted the match referee that the Cape Town City official was also guilty and that also resulted in a dismissal. The two individuals took their fight to the tunnel, and the two benches rushed to intervene, with City head coach Benni McCarthy as well as Maritzburg United goalkeeper coach Ronnie Kananelo among those who went in to protect their own. However, it is unclear at this stage as to who started the fight between De Reuck and City's official in the tunnel, but a video posted on social media by Thomas Mlambo of the SABCSport clearly shows that things really got heated. Watch carefully as down the tunnel @MaritzburgUtd vs @CapeTownCityFC over the weekend the benches go to war down the tunnel one official even gets grabbed by the neck during the battle pic.twitter.com/ss2gZ4LZHK — Thomas Mlambo (@thomasmlambo) February 26, 2019 The PSL, through Luxolo September, has responded on the matter, saying the case is with the league's prosecutor who will then make a decision. "We are aware of what happened there – it was on television. We have to follow the processes. Currently, the matter is with the league prosecutor. I do not know if/when he will take action (this is his independent decision, the PSL does not get involved. )," - Lux September told Goal. Goal contacted the fourth official for the match, Nasief Julies, but he refused to comment and directed all the questions to Tenda Mosikhwa, who is the head of referees at the South African Football Association (Safa). Mosikhwa said the matter is with the review committee, who will then come up with the ruling before going public. “In fact what we do match commissioner supplies us with the report. We handed this to the review committee that is sitting today to look at the images and everything else relating to the incident before coming up with a ruling. Unfortunately, we cannot comment on anything at the moment. Yes, hopefully, you will get something tomorrow if they definitely give us something later this evening once they are done,” he told Goal.