Kaizer Chiefs 0

Cape Town City 0

Betway Premiership
FNB Stadium, Nasrec

Amakhosi will rue a catalogue of missed opportunities after they were held to a goalless draw by Cape Town City in their Betway Premiership clash at FNB stadium on Wednesday evening.

Apart from a handful of instances where the visitors broke forward, Chiefs enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and territory, yet failed to convert the plethora of opportunities they created.

The first action of the match came at the Chiefs end in the 10^th minute, when Bruce Bvuma pulled off an excellent reflex save to keep Nathan Fasika’s header out.

From then on Amakhosi took the initiative and, but for some inaccurate finishing, could have taken the lead on numerous occasions. Glody Lilepo threatened in the 13^th minute, working his way to the bye-line only to have his cross cut out by desperate defending.

On 22 minutes, Mduduzi Shabalala skilfully made room for a shot with some nifty footwork, but Darren Keet was well positioned to save. Six minutes later, Shabalala took a ball from Edmilson Dove to the line and cut it back to Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, who shot high over the bar and, four minutes after that, Gaston Sirino curled a shot just the wrong side of the far post.

When City did break out, as in the 35^th minute, Given Msimango produced a superb tackle on Amadou Soukouna as the striker shaped for a shot on goal.

Amakhosi turned up the heat and had two gilt-edged opportunities to score, first on the 40^th minute, when Dillan Solomons shot wide after being put in space by Ngcobo’s slide-rule pass and two minutes later, Shabalala missed the best chance of the match to that point after Fasika carelessly lost possession to him on the edge of his own box. Shaba did everything right, feinting to sit the ‘keeper down but then put his shot wide of the post when it seemed certain he would score, and Chiefs had to settle for 0-0 at halftime.

The same pattern resumed after the break and, five minutes in, Lilepo went agonisingly close to opening the scoring with a spectacular long-range curler that rattled off the cross bar with Keet well beaten.

City clawed their way back into the match for a brief period, fashioning a couple of chances, but Bvuma was in fine form, saving a cheeky effort from Jaeden Rhodes at his near post and then coming out bravely to block Fortune Makaringe’s close-range effort to prevent City taking a shock lead.

Coach Nabi made some changes and they almost paid off in the 78^th minute when two substitutes combined as Pule Mmodi crossed for Ranga Chivaviro to nod the ball over the bar and, seven minutes later, Mmodi cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that Keet fingertipped past the post for a corner.

With City running out of gas and holding on for dear life, Chiefs couldn’t find a way through and resorted to shooting on sight in a desperate attempt to score the goal their all-round play deserved, with Mmodi and Given Msimang seeing their shots fly high and wide as the clock ticked down.

In the end, Amakhosi were forced to accept a draw and a point apiece, which takes them to 29 points from 21 matches and keeps them in 8^th position in the league table. They travel to the east coast for their next Betway Premiership assignment, against Richards Bay at the King Goodwill Zwelithini stadium in Durban Sunday, 16 March 15:30.

Line-ups:

Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma (44), Dove (2), Miguel © (84), Msimango (25), Solomons (18) (Frosler (39) 65’), Cele (21), Ngcobo (12) (Matlou (22) 46’), Sirino (10) (Vilakazi (28) 65’), Shabalala (42) (Mmodi (13) 72’), Lilepo (99), Du Preez (9) (Chivaviro (7) 65’)

Subs not used: Petersen (1), Kwinika (4), Cross (48), Maart (8)

Coach: Nasreddine Nabi

Cape Town City: Keet © (16); Fasika (14), Dondolo (58) (Ziba (19) 77’), Mendoza Gonzales (20), Rhodes (23), Gordinho (25), (Nodada (26) 71’), Serero (8) (Tjiueza (21) 46’) Makaringe (93) (Petrus (4) 71’), Nyama (11), Soukouna (9) (Witbooi (50) 77’)

Subs not used: Sithole (32), Francis (24), Goedeman (27), Amato (55)

Coach: Muhsin Ertugral