Polokwane edge Chiefs
Polokwane edge Chiefs

Posted in Match Report, News on May 13, 2017.

13 May 2017

Kaizer Chiefs 0

Polokwane City (0) 1 (Tshilo 75’)

What Happened?

Kaizer Chiefs came to Polokwane in a positive mood, looking for the three points against Polokwane City. However, it wasn’t to be on a rainy evening. The home side won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Thapelo Tshilo in the 75th minute.

Keagan Buchanan and George Lebese were handed an opportunity to start in the absence of Willard Katsande (suspended) and Edmore Chirambadare. Chiefs, however, were still without Siphiwe Tshabalala due to a muscle strain.

Lorenzo Gordinho, meanwhile, replaced Daniel Cardoso in contrast to last week’s one-all draw at home to Golden Arrows.

The game was played on a wet and therefore rather slippery pitch, as it had been raining quite a lot.

Chiefs played positive, trying to find an early goal. There was a chance to do so in the 10th minute when Molangoane shot at goal from inside the box. However, he was on the left side of goal, which meant that he had to shoot with his slightly weaker left-foot. The goalkeeper quite easily worked the ball to corner.

The home side also played forward and wasn’t in a mood to sit down and counter-attack as often happens when teams face Amakhosi.

There were a few injury breaks, as the weather conditions resulted in players sliding further than they had anticipated when going for the ball. George Maluleka, who had another fine game, was one of the players on the receiving end of an ill-timed tackle.

There was a shot at goal from Buchanan in the 38th minute from just outside the box, but he slipped when hitting the ball and the goalkeeper stopped the ball from going in goal.

On the other hand, Itumeleng Khune wasn’t the busiest man on the pitch, but he did make a fine save just before half-time, tipping the ball over the sidebar.

The visitors were a little bit unlucky not to get a goal in the first half as they certainly got the better chances of the two sides.

Chiefs tried to up the tempo in the second half. It resulted in chances for Hendrick Ekstein and Molangoane, but the ball couldn’t find the back of net.

Lebese looked lively, often going at ease past his marker, while Ekstein and Molangoane mixed good actions with giving the ball away a bit too easy at times.

Coach Steve Komphela decided to bring in Gustavo Páez for Bernard Parker in the 62nd minute, which was followed 12 minutes later by substituting Buchanan for Ryan Moon.

Buchanan had done well in midfield, but Moon scored his first Chiefs goal against Golden Arrows last week and Komphela obviously hoped that there was more to come.

There was a great save from Khune in the 74th minute, but there was little he could do when Polokwane’s Thapelo Tshilo put the ball past him barely a minute later.

It was a major set-back for Amakhosi.

Shortly after the goal, William Twala was brought on for Molangoane with the coach obviously going all out to try and get the equaliser.

Chiefs tried to find the much needed goal, but, in the end, that couldn’t be found.

 

Key moment in the match:

The key moment was obviously Polokwane’s Thapelo Tshilo’s goal. The 32-year-old former Jomo Cosmos defender from Boksburg doesn’t score too often, but this was a crucial one for the home side.

Most Valuable Player (MVP):

Polokwane’s Rodney Ramagalela was selected as the Absa Premiership Man of the Match. However, Ramahlwe Mphahlele had a another good performance at right-back, going up and down the flank and being full of energy, while George Lebese seemed to enjoy playing in the rain, continuously going past his marker at ease. As a result, Lebese was probably the best Glamour Boy on the day.

What it means:

The loss means that Kaizer Chiefs are in now in fifth position on the Absa Premiership log, having collected 47 points from 28 games. That’s ten points behind log leaders Bidvest Wits who are on 57 points. The Glamour Boys are one point behind fourth placed SuperSport United. There are still two league matches to play.

Kaizer Chiefs 11: Khune; Mphahlele, Mathoho, Gordinho, Masilela; Ekstein, Maluleka, Buchanan (Moon 74’), Lebese; Molangoane (Twala 81’), Parker (Páez 62’)

Subs not used: Bvuma, Cardoso, Baloyi, Letlotlo

Polokwane City 11: Chigova; Semenya, Tshilo, Tema, Hlongwane; Phiri, Seabi, Maluleke, Mngomezulu (Jembula 94’); Ramagalela, Musona (Ndou 70’)

Subs not used: Ndlovu, Maponyane, Vilikazi, Tlolane, Klaas

Next Match: Next up for the Glamour Boys is their penultimate Absa Premiership fixture against Platinum Stars at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Wednesday, 17 May (kick-off is at 19:30).

 

Share this article: