Kaizer Chiefs hoodoo strikes again as 10-man Stellenbosch suffer 2-0 defeat
Image: Backpagepix
Kaizer Chiefs once again showcased their standing as Stellenbosch FC's hoodoo team with a hard-fought 2-0 victory in their Betway Premiership match at Athlone Stadium on Sunday.
This triumph marks a significant milestone for Chiefs, who have been nothing short of formidable against the Winelands team, securing five consecutive league wins against them. The result also meant that Chiefs ended their nine-match winless streak in the league at the end of last season.
The capacity crowd was treated to a rousing start with end-to-end action. However, the mood shifted dramatically early in the first half when referee Eugene Mdluli red-carded Stellenbosch debutant Siviwe Nkwali.
The young defender made a reckless challenge on Mduduzi Shabalala, who had skilfully navigated through a gap in the Stellenbosch defence and was heading goalwards.
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo stepped up for the free-kick on the fringe of the Stellenbosch penalty area. He struck a left-footed shot over the defensive wall before it curled fractionally past Stellenbosch goalkeeper Sage Stephens for Chiefs' first goal of the season.
As Stellenbosch attempted to regroup after the setback, Chiefs failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority. Instead of adopting a more defensive posture, Stellenbosch ran full tilt at the opposition defence, unsettling the Chiefs backline.
In the ensuing 12 minutes of play, Stellenbosch were foiled three times by the woodwork as Chiefs' rearguard failed to deal with the parting shots of marksmen Sanele Barns and Devin Titus.
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It was worth noting that the teams served notice of their attacking intentions moments after the kick-off. From the second minute onwards, there was a flurry of corners in the next seven minutes, with four for Chiefs and three for Stellenbosch. However, neither side managed to exploit the set-piece opportunities.
As the first half wore on, 10-man Stellenbosch gained the upper hand and, by half-time, they surprisingly led the shots-on-goal count 11-4. Brandon Petersen, the Chiefs goalkeeper, was far and away the busiest man on the field as Stellenbosch's unrelenting, aggressive attack threatened a breakthrough.
Two minutes after the restart, Chiefs' Congolese international Makabi Lilepo scored, but he was adjudged offside.
In the absence of coach Nasreddine Nabi, first assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef and second assistant coach Cedric Kaze were calling the shots for Chiefs. To inject some spark into the attack, they brought on Ashley du Preez for Naledi Hlongwane and Sibongiseni Mthethwa for Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.
Stellenbosch followed suit moments later with three changes ahead of the hour mark: Ibraheem Jabaar for Chumani Butsaka, Muzomuhle Khanyi for Ashley Cupido, and Lesiba Nku for Andre de Jong.
Of the two sides, Chiefs' fresh legs made the greater impact, forcing Stellenbosch into a largely defensive approach. Occasionally, they staged counterattacks, which Chiefs managed to contain.
In the final 20 minutes, Chiefs created a host of half-chances, with the capacity crowd voicing a steady stream of 'ohs' and 'ahs' as efforts missed the target.
In the final minute of injury time, Chiefs sealed the result when Lilepo converted a penalty to ensure an emphatic victory.
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