Chiefs make a late bid for CAF berth

DEPLETED Kaizer Chiefs held out for a 1-0 DStv Premiership win over Sekhukhune United at Emirates Airline Park yesterday and remained in contention to qualify for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup competition.

Chiefs slipped into the fourth position with 46 points which raises hope of a Confederation Cup berth. Sekhukhune are in 11th place with 32 points.

Chiefs were forced to field an untried combination as several key players were sidelined.

Central midfielder Phathutshedzo Nange was suspended, and Kearyn Baccus was injured. Playmaker Keagan Dolly was out with a calf injury and is unlikely to play again this season. A knee injury has sidelined striker Samir Nurkovic who has been in the headlines of late because of a pending move to Royal AM.

Chiefs took charge as soon as referee Victor Hlungwani blew the kick-off whistle and forced the Sekhukhune defence to concede three corners in the opening two minutes.

Sekhukhune then reversed the flow of the match. Midfielder Nyiko Mobbie broke clear on the left flank and his cross was met with a goal-bound header from Charlton Mashumba, one of two strikers in their 3-5-2 pattern. Chiefs keeper Bruce Bvuma was well positioned to make a clean catch.

After that let-off, Chiefs regained the initiative with repeated attacking sorties deep into the opposition half. Over the next 20 minutes, the Sekhukhune defence conceded three more corners, but their defence held firm.

The Chiefs set piece drew blanks after six corners and three close-in free kicks, but they came good 12 minutes before half-time.

Khama Billiat, who worked in tandem with Leonardo Castro in Chiefs’ two-pronged attack, reeled in a free kick which was poorly cleared in Sekhukhune’s penalty area. Chiefs central defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who was up for the set piece powered in a header which crashed against the crossbar and dipped into the goals for the goal.

The goalscoring feat was a poignant moment for Mphahlele who made his PSL debut at the venue in 2007 when he played for Soweto rivals Moroka Swallows.

At the start of the second half, Sekhukhune brought on former Chiefs stalwart Willard Katsande. The Zimbabwean, who had more than 300 caps for Chiefs, replaced right-back Thabang Kobela.

As the second half wound its course both teams maintained an attacking approach with Sekhukhune slightly better placed to score. Chiefs had their moments too but their efforts were wayward in the striking zone.

OTHER RESULTS:

Mamelodi Sundowns 0 Stellenbosch 3 TS Galaxy 0 Marumo Gallants FC 0 Baroka FC 3 SuperSport United 1 Swallows FC 0 Chippa United 0

Cape Town City FC 0 AmaZulu 0 Golden Arrows 2 Royal AM 2