Chiefs edged by Chippa
Chiefs edged by Chippa

Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on Apr 07, 2018.

7 April 2018

Kaizer Chiefs                                    0  

Chippa United                             (1) 3 (Rakhale 26’, Macuphu 78’, Manqele 97’)

Chippa United edged Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 in an Absa Premiership match at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The visitors scored a goal in the first half followed by another two in the second. Amakhosi did get at various stages of the match opportunities to score, but the ball failed to find the back of the net.

Never change a winning team, is the saying. And that’s what coach Steve Komphela decided to do after having booked two victories in a row, fielding an unchanged line-up for the Chippa United game.

Chiefs certainly started as the better side, but it didn’t result in any immediate chances.

The Glamour Boys had an early set-back when Ramahlwe Mphahlele had to be taken off due to a tight hamstring, being replaced already in the 13th minute by Bongolethu Jayiya.

There was a further set-back when Chippa United scored from what was basically their first threatening attack in the 26th minute. Abel Mabaso passed the ball through the middle to Thabo Rakhale, who dribbled passed Erick Mathoho before putting the ball past Itumeleng Khune into the back of the net.

Hereafter, Chiefs took even more control of the game, creating a few goalscoring opportunities. The best arrived just before half-time when Leonardo Castro headed the ball into the feet of Ryan Moon. The striker, usually so deadly, failed to put the ball past the Chippa United goalkeeper from close range.

Teenage Hadebe received a yellow card from referee Eketsang Setloboko at the end of the first half, which means that the lanky defender will be suspended for next week’s clash against Platinum Stars.

Coach Komphela decided to become even more offensive in the second half, taking out defender Hadebe and bringing on Bernard Parker. The Zimbabwean defender was also substituted as a precaution, because he was struggling with an injury to the ankle.

Chiefs tried to push up, even though it didn’t immediately result in any goalscoring opportunities.

To try to be even more offensive, Dumsani Zuma came on for Jayiya in the 62nd minute. The changes left Amakhosi a bit open at the back, but that was a risk coach Komphela had to take to go all out to find goals.

Zuma got an excellent opportunity to open the score for Chiefs in the 75th minute after a well-weighted cross from the right by Hendrick Ekstein. Zuma, however, failed to head the ball on target from close range.

Another set-back arrived in the 78th minute when Mxolisi Macaphu scored the second goal for Chippa United from a counter-attack.

Directly hereafter, Erick Mathoho had to walk off the pitch, as he was suffering from a knock on his head, feeling a bit dizzy. It obviously wasn’t Chiefs’ day, as they now had to continue being down to 10 men.

Zuma got a great chance to bring Amakhosi back into the game, but he failed to finish from close range.

To make matters worse, former Glamour Boy, Edward Manqele, who had come on as a substitute, netted the third goal for Chippa United in the 97th minute.

Key moment in the match:

The key moment was Chippa United’s goal in the first half, scored by Thabo Rakhale. It helped the visitors to settle down and look at counter-attacking moves. As a result of one of these speedy counter-attacks, they netted as well the second and third goal.

Most Valuable Player (MVP):

Daniel Cardoso again had a fine game at the back and Leonardo Castro worked his socks off in attack, even though he didn’t always get the assistance needed. However, the Man of the Match award obviously went to the winning team. It was handed to Chippa’s attack-minded left-back, Paseka Mako.

Gallery:

[gallery ids="37022,37021,37020,37016,37014,37013,37017,37015,37018"]

 

What it means:

It means that the Glamour Boys have now collected 39 points from 26 games. Kaizer Chiefs are still in third position on the Absa Premiership log, seven points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, although the Pretoria-based side has two games in hand.

Kaizer Chiefs 11: Khune; Mathoho, Cardoso, Hadebe (Parker 46’); Mphahlele (Jayiya 13’, Zuma 62’), Katsande, Ekstein, Tshabalala, Zulu; Castro, Moon

 

Subs not used: Khuzwayo, Ngezana, Maluleka, Molangoane

 

Chippa United 11: Akpeyi; Macheke, Nsabiyumva, Okwuosa, Rakhale; Mayambela (Mbokoma 85’), Mabaso, Sali (Mbenyane 83’), Rakhale; Mntambo, Macuphu (Manqele 87’)

 

Subs not used: Mhlongo, Seanego, Bergman, Modisane

 

Next Match:

Kaizer Chiefs will host Platinum Stars in an Absa Premiership fixture at FNB Stadium on Saturday evening, 14 April 2018 (kick-off is at 20:15).

 

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