Kaizer Chiefs lost for the first time at home this season, as they went down 2-1 to Golden Arrows in an Absa Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Chiefs were on the back foot in the game after a slow start which saw them trailing 2-0 at half time as goals from Collins Mbesuma in the 14th minute and Musa Bilankulu 13 minutes later put Arrows in the driving seat, George Lebese on as a second half substitute cut the arrears to 2-1 with a goal on 52 minutes, Lebses would also miss a late penalty as Chiefs were defeated by Arrows for the first time in four years.

The game began at a slow pace and out of the blue Arrows shot ahead in the 14th minute, a long throw in from the right by Joseph Musonda was headed away by Tefu Mashamaite the ball landed at the feet of Dillon Sheppard on the left edge of the Chiefs 18 yard area.

He volleyed the ball at goal Itumeleng Khune managed to block the initial shot, the ball fell in front of Mbesuma who from a mere three yards out tapped the ball home to hand Arrows the lead.

Mashamaite came close to drawing Chiefs level in the 21st minute when he spotted Arrows keeper Helton Da Rocha off his line, he attempted a speculative attempt at goal from the half way line and had the Arrows keeper scampering back and he managed with a speculative backward dive to push the ball over his post for a corner.

Five minutes later Arrows doubled their lead, again Sheppard was key for Arrows and it was his pin point corner from the right which Musa Bilankulu with a glancing header knocked the ball across the face of goal and past a despairing Khune to double the visitors lead.

Two minutes before halftime Da Rocha came off his line to collect a Tshabalala corner from the right but completely missed the ball, Thomas Sweswe was on the end of the cross but his header at goal missed the target and the teams went into the half time break with Arrows leading 2-0.

Chiefs came out in the second half like a team possessed and wasted no time in getting themselves back in the game, Zhaimu Jambo went on a run up the left cut in and attempted to send a cross towards goal, his lay-up was blocked.

With the return pass he found George Lebese and the half time substitute wasted no time in dispatching the ball powerfully past Da Rocha who stood no chance of stopping the ball, as Lebses grabbed his first goal of the season.

A minute later Bilankulu again managed to tower above the Chiefs defense as he rose to meet Philane Shange’s free kick, Khune was able to stop the ball on the line.

Chiefs kept up their assault on the Arrows goal with a host of players Stehmbiso Ngcobo, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Tinashe Nengomasha going close to finding that elusive equalizer.

In the final minute of the game Chiefs were handed the opportunity to draw level when Musonda was thought to have handled the ball inside his own 18 yard area, Lebese was handed the responsibility to take the spot kick. He was not lucky from 12 yards out and sent his spot kick wide of goal as Chiefs fell to a 2-1 loss.

Line Up’s:

Chiefs: 32. Khune, 2. Tau, 3. Sweswe, 4. Mashamaite, 29. Jambo, 8. Nengomasha, 9. Dladla (17. Lebese 46’), 6. Letsholonyane, 14. Tshabalala, 25. Parker (35. Baloyi 77’), 20. Majoro (23. Ngcobo 65’)

Cautions: 20. Lehlohonolo Majoro, 2. Jimmy Tau

Coach: Vladimir Vermezovic


Assistant Coach: Donald ‘Ace’ Khuse


Goalkeeper Coach: Rainer Dinkelacker

Arrows: 1. Da Rocha, 4. Musonda, 28. Bilankulu, 3. Johannes, 2. Tom, 15. Shange (8. Mkhize 58’) , 5. Khuboni, 25. Nene, 79. Sheppard, 6. Nkosi (31. Gabuza 69’), 9. Mbesuma (21. Mashego 85’)

Cautions: 25. Jabulani Nene, 9. Collins Mbesuma, 6. Siyabonga Nkosi, 3. Johannes

Coach: Ernst Middendorp