Injury time goal blocks Chiefs win
Injury time goal blocks Chiefs win

Posted in Match Report, News on May 06, 2017.

6 May 2017

 

Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Moon 77’)

Golden Arrows (0) 1 (Mutizwa 94’)

What Happened?

It was a tough game and Kaizer Chiefs deserved the three points. And that looked a certainty thanks to substitute Ryan Moon’s first goal wearing the Gold and Black jersey. His clean finish came in the 77th minute. However, Golden Arrows scored an equaliser in the dying seconds of the game.

Itumeleng Khune returned to the starting line-up after having missed the last two games due to injury.

Siphiwe Tshabalala had to miss the Arrows encounter due to a slight muscle strain, while Joseph Molangoane was suspended.

Coach Steve Komphela decided to replace the two with Hendrick ‘Pule’ Ekstein and Gustavo Páez. Ekstein’s last league start was back in November in the goalless draw against Baroka FC.

Both teams started the game a bit tentative, with no real opportunities for either side in the first 25 minutes of play, except for a shot at goal from George Maluleka in the third minute which was blocked by a defender. This slight chance came after some good work on the right flank from Ekstein.

However, after 30 minutes the game opened up. First it was Arrows that got a fine opportunity in a counter-attacking move and, straight thereafter, Amakhosi got a chance via Bernard Parker after a fine cross from Páez. ‘Die Hond’, however, failed to connect properly with the ball.

Katsande’s ferocious shot at goal in the 40th minute also failed to find the back of the net, while, on the other side of the pitch, Khune made a great save to take care that Arrows didn’t score the opening goal of the match.

The first half was a rather evenly balanced affair, although Chiefs looked the more likely to find the back of the net. Ekstein looked dangerous whenever in possession of the ball, while Parker and Páez made some excellent runs off the ball.

Willard Katsande, meanwhile, was again fighting hard in his defensive midfield role, although he did collect another yellow card, which means that he will be suspended for Chiefs’ next game.

The second half started as a continuation of the first, with Arrows preferring to sit back and catch Amakhosi on the break.

Coach Komphela decided to ring the changes in the 53rd minute, bringing on William Twala for Edmore Chirambadare.

Slowly, Chiefs upped the tempo and the pressure on Arrows’ goal. Various good opportunities came the home side’s way, with the best coming for Parker, Ekstein and Páez.

Especially the Venezuelan had a fine second half, making excellent runs and being involved in some good combination play.

In the end, the well-deserved goal arrived in the 77th minute and it was Ryan Moon who scored his first Chiefs goal barely four minutes after coming on for Parker.

Arrows tried to come back after that, but the Glamour Boys defended well. However, that was until the 94th minute, when, with a bit of luck, Arrows scored to get a point out of this game.

Gallery

[gallery ids="34571,34569,34568,34567,34566,34565"]

Key moment in the match:

That must surely be Ryan Moon’s fantastic goal. George Maluleka kicks the ball deep, Moon receives the ball on his chest, turns and hammers the ball past the Golden Arrows goalkeeper. It was his first goal as a Glamour Boy and it should have been the match-winner, but it wasn’t to be.

Most Valuable Player (MVP):

Daniel Cardoso worked hard, intercepted passes and regularly blocked Golden Arrows players from making threatening runs, snatching the ball from their feet. The 28-year-old defender had a fine performance.

What it means:

The draw means that Kaizer Chiefs are still in fourth position on the Absa Premiership log, having collected 47 points from 27 games. That’s seven points behind log leaders Bidvest Wits who are on 54 points from 26 games. The Glamour Boys still have three league matches to play and they host the Clever Boys in the last game of this season at FNB Stadium on Saturday, 27 May.

Kaizer Chiefs 11: Khune; Mphahlele, Mathoho, Cardoso, Masilela; Ekstein (Lebese 70’), Katsande, Maluleka, Chirambadare (Twala 53’); Parker (Moon 73’), Páez

Subs not used: Bvuma, Gordinho, Baloyi, Letlotlo

Golden Arrows 11: Gumede; Dlamini, Mathiane, Mzava, Mthiyane; Mahachi, Magubane (Phiri 64’), Bilankulu, Sibiya; Jooste (Fikizolo 75’), Lamola (Mutizwa 62’)

Subs not used: Mbaeva, Dube, Mngwengwe, Msowoya

Next Match: Next up for the Amakhosi is an Absa Premiership fixture against Polokwane City at New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, 13 May (kick-off is at 18:00).

 

Share this article: