Spirited performance as Chiefs overcome AmaZulu
Spirited performance as Chiefs overcome AmaZulu

Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on Sep 24, 2019.

24 September 2019

AmaZulu              (0) 0

Kaizer Chiefs     (0) 2 (Castro 84’, Billiat 90+3’)

Kaizer Chiefs maintained their one hundred percent away record this season when they won their third away league encounter of the 2019/20 campaign against AmaZulu at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi. After having to make three injury enforced substitutions, Chiefs weathered the storm with substitute Leonardo Castro demonstrating his poacher’s instincts to score Chiefs first goal of the game in the 84th minute.  Khama Billiat scored a second late in the second half for a 2-0 win for Chiefs.

Reeve Frosler was getting down the right flank with good effect early on and in the 5th minute he sent in a ball across the ground which found Manyama inside the Amazulu six- yard area, he drilled his effort from close range high over the AmaZulu goal.

There was a scare for Chiefs in the 23rd minute when striker Samir Nurković went down after a clash of heads with AmaZulu’s Tshepo Gumede, with Gumede knocking down Nurković once the Chiefs striker had headed the ball forward.

After a delay which saw both players needing to be patched up, Gumede was cautioned and Nurković with a gash above his left eye needed to come off twice to fix up his bandage before being able to carry on with the match.

AmaZulu’s first real attack on the Chiefs goal came in the 34th minute when an attack from the right which eventually fell for Siyethemba Sithebe on the left edge of the Chiefs 18 -yard area. His shot at goal bobbled over a diving Itumeleng Khune but went wide of goal.

Three minutes later an important interception from Mulomowandau Mathoho stopped a promising AmaZulu attack as he sent the ball out for a corner. Ovidy Karuru managed to powerfully head the ball goal wards where Khune under pressure from Michael Morton acrobatically punched the ball away from danger.

Two minutes before the end of the first half Nurković had to be eventually substituted as his earlier clash of heads with Gumede took its toll. He was replaced by Leonardo Castro.

The first half ended with Castro having been put in on goal after the breakdown of an AmaZulu free kick, his effort from the right went well wide of goal. The first half that saw AmaZulu being overly physical ended goalless.

Six minutes after the restart, Chiefs were on the attack with Khama Billiat drawing out a save from Siyabonga Mbatha, as the Chiefs midfielder’s effort at goal from a tight angle on the right had Mbatha scrambling across goal to make a fine stop.

Chiefs had to make their second enforced substitution of the game when Reeve Frosler picked up a knock early in the second stanza. He was replaced by Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya in the 53rd minute.

In the 62nd minute, some good work by Lebogang Manyama on the edge of the Amazulu 18-yard area saw him fight his way past two defenders before the ball fell to the right to Billiat. He moved wide and dinked the ball over Mbatha as the ball went agonisingly wide off goal.

A minute on, Manyama and Billiat combined again as the former laid the ball off to the latter, Billiat took on two defenders before unleashing a powerful shot goal ward. He had Mbatha diving to his right to block the ball.

Chiefs injury woes continued with second half substitute Ntiya-Ntiya being stretched off in the 75th minute and was replaced by Dumsani Zuma.

After overcoming two scares in the second half with AmaZulu having two goals chalked off for off -side, Chiefs luck turned late in the game Zuma was brought down on the right edge of the AmaZulu penalty box. From the resulting free kick, Manyama sent the ball over the wall and crashing against the up-right, where Castro was waiting to control the ball and then kneed the ball over the line to hand Chiefs the lead.

Chiefs scored a second goal in referee’s added time at the end of the second half. It was a move that started in the Chiefs penalty area by man-of-the-match Kearyn Baccus who was able to storm up the field and set Billiat on goal. The Chiefs attacker collected Baccus’ beautifully weighted pass and swept the ball past Mbatha to all but seal the win for Chiefs.

A good debut for Yagan Sasman who played his first official game for the Amakhosi as well as Itumeleng Khune who kept a clean-sheet in his league appearance of the 2019-20 season. Before the game against Usuthu, Khune’s last game was in December 2018.

Key moment in the match:

Key moment was the return of captain of Khune after nine months. His presence on the pitch helped Amakhosi as he made crucial saves. Yagan Sasman also had a debut, finishing 90 minutes.

 

Most Valuable Player (MVP):

Khama Billiat had a good game as he tested AmaZulu’s keeper a few times, but Baccus’ contribution got the nod from the judges and spectators as he dictated matters in the midfield and provided an assist for Billiat. He received his first man-of-the-match award since joining Amakhosi.

 

What it means:

Kaizer Chiefs came back after losing the last game against Polokwane City with this win. It takes the Glamour to the summit of the log after six games with 13 points.

 

Number of the game 13:

Itumeleng Khune became the second Chiefs player after Thabo Mooki to feature in 13 league seasons in the PSL era since 1996/97 when making his first start of the 2019-20 season against Amazulu.

 

Fact of the Game:

Kaizer Chiefs are now 21 away league games undefeated against AmaZulu, last losing on their travels against Usuthu on 14th June 1992 (W14 D7).

 

Line-ups:

Chiefs: Khune ©; Sasman, Mathoho, Cardoso, Frosler (Ntiya-Ntiya 52’) (Zuma 76’): Maluleka, Manyama Parker, Billiat; Baccus; Nurković (Castro 45’)

Subs not used:  Akpeyi; Ngezana, Katsande (31),  Kambole (7)

AmaZulu: Mbatha; Sikhakhane, M Gumede, Xoki ©, T Gumede; Darpoh, Sithebe, Morton (Ncobeni 89’). Maduna (Chawapiwa 63’), Karuru (Ncube 79’); Ntuli

Subs not used: Boshoff, Khumalo, Magaqa, Vilakazi

Next Match:

Chiefs will be at home to Baroka on Saturday, 28 September at FNB Stadium. Tickets for this Absa Premiership match can be purchased from Computicket and Shoprite/Checkers stores.

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