Kaizer Chiefs beat AmaZulu 1-0 in an Absa Premiership clash at Polokwane’s Peter Mokaba Stadium on Thursday evening. Bernard Parker was the match winner. Amakhosi continue to be on top of the league log with 57 points from 25 matches.

Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter went with the tried and tested for the AmaZulu encounter with Katlego Mphela accompanying Parker upfront, like in the last league encounter against Moroka Swallows.

Baxter wasn’t sitting on the bench due to the two-game suspension he got, following the red-card he received during the recent Nedbank Cup clash against Black Leopards. He was replaced by assistant-coach Doctor Khumalo.

The home side tried to gain an early advantage, trying to dominate the game. It resulted in a few slight chances.

The tactic worked, as Bernard Parker opened the score in the 18th minute. The striker stormed with the ball past his marker and his left-footed shot from inside the box disappeared into the goal.

George Lebese could even have added another three minutes later, but his powerful shot hit the crossbar.

Even after the opening goal, Chiefs didn’t sit back, continuing to have most of the possession of the ball and often moving dangerously towards the AmaZulu goal.

On the other hand, Usuthu showed why they have been gaining numerous points in recent games, as they came close to equalising in the 28th minute thanks to a well-directed shot. Amakhosi goalkeeper Itumuleng Khune’s save at full stretch, however, was brilliant and much needed.

Towards the end of the first half, some frustration seemed to creep into the AmaZulu team, which resulted in three of their players being handed out a yellow card in about five minutes time.

AmaZulu tried to go for the equalizer early in the second half. Chiefs, on the other hand, kept it compact at the back. Willard Katsande was again a great workhorse in midfield, winning numerous balls.

Amakhosi, meanwhile, got some opportunities to extend the lead, with Mphela always looking dangerous whenever the ball came to him in the AmaZulu box.

Mandla Masango replaced Siphiwe Tshabalala in the 61th minute to help Amakhosi being quicker on the counter-attack. Three minutes later, Mphela made way for Matthew Rusike.

The rain started to pour down in the second half, which didn’t make playing any easier.

Rusike got an excellent opportunity to score soon after coming on, but he rushed his shot slightly, missing the target.

The game went up and down, with both teams wanting to attack. But all seemed to be under the control from a Chiefs point of view.

That’s when referee Phillip Tinyani decided to get involved when he gave Itumeleng Khune a weird yellow card for supposed time wasting, while that was not the case at all.

The referee even made it worse by, accordingly, sending off Khune when he protested a bit too loudly about this strange decision. The best referees are often the ones you don’t really spot during the game, Tinyani was obviously not one of them.

It meant that Doctor Khumalo had to replace George Lebese by Reyaad Pieterse.

In the end, it stayed 1-0 and deservedly so. Parker was selected as the Man of the Match.

Chiefs’ next game will be away against the University of Pretoria (Tuks) at the Tuks Stadium on Tuesday, 14 April (kick-off at 19:30).

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 1 (Parker 18’)

AmaZulu 0

Kaizer Chiefs: Khune (Pieterse 85’), Gaxa, Mashaimate, Mathoho, Masilela, Tshabalala (Masango 61’), Katsande, Letsholonyane, Lebese, Parker, Mphela (Rusike 64’)

AmaZulu: Murambadoro, Hlanti (Liphoko 75’), Mabizela, Ouro-Akoriko, Van Heerden, T. Dlamini (Langwe 50’), Arwuah, Johannes, Nyongo, Mwape (A. Dlamini 46’), Ndulula