Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on Aug 15, 2020.
15 August 2020
Polokwane City (1) 2 (Nku 16’, Maluleke 61’)
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 3 (Katsande 71’, Agay 76’, Nurković 77’)
Kaizer Chiefs showed great resilience as they rallied from two goals down to defeat Polokwane City 3-2 in a thrilling Absa Premiership game at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday. The result puts Chiefs six points clear at the top of the table. Polokwane City had gone 2-0 up with goals from Lesiba Nku and Jabulani Maluleke before Chiefs fought back. Willard Katsande, Anthony Akumu and Samir Nurković scored three goals in the space of six minutes deep into the second half to turn the game around in Chiefs’ favour.
In the second minute of the game, Daniel Akpeyi was called into action as he did well to make a save at his near post with a shot from the left by Nku.
Chiefs had their opening chance in the 8th minute. A good run from Yagan Sasman down the left that saw the defender send in a telling ball which Lazalous Kambole was able to hack into the path of Samir Nurković. The Serb took a powerful shot but his effort rattled the side netting.
Akpeyi was called into action in the 14th minute as he came off his line to block a vicious angled shot from the left by Vusimuzi Mngomezulu, with Nku bearing down on goal. Two minutes later Polokwane City took the lead after a Chiefs attack broke down and Amakhosi were unable to clear their lines. The ball was eventually lobbed over the Chiefs defence by Phiri. Nku chased down the ball and lifted it over Akpeyi to hand the hosts the lead.
In the 20th minute Polokwane City countered Chiefs with a long ball out of their defence which saw Maluleke play Phiri into space, with just Akpeyi to be he shot wide of goal.
A minute later, Chiefs threatened the Polokwane City’s goal with a curling ball from the right by Reeve Frosler to cause havoc in the Polokwane backline. Keeper Cyril Chibwe came out for the ball but failed to collect it. The ball moved to the back post where Nurković was lurking, but he failed to make contact with the ball.
Polokwane City had Chibwe to thank for preserving their lead as he was at full stretch in the 33rd minute to deny Nurković from grabbing an equaliser. The Serb had managed to launch himself into the air to meet a cross from the right by Kearyn Baccus.
Polokwane City went into the halftime break 1-0 up.
Coach Ernest Middendorp made three changes at halftime, bringing on Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker for Reeve Frosler, Kearyn Baccus and Yagan Sasman, respectively.
Just past the hour mark, Chiefs fell two goals back after a free kick from distance by Maluleka deflected against Anthony Akumu Agay in the Chiefs wall. The ball looped over Akpeyi and nestled into the back of the Chiefs net to put Polokwane City 2-0 up.
A ball into the box from Manyama in the 67th minute had Chibwe stretching to push the ball over his goal for a corner. From the resulting corner, he was alert again diving at full stretch to stop an effort by Kambole on the goal-line.
In the 71st minute, Chiefs managed to pull one back when a well-taken corner from the right by Bernard Parker was flicked on to the far post by Nurković where another halftime substitute Willard Katsande raced forward to head the ball home. The score was 2-1.
With 14 minutes to go, a Parker and Nurković combination was at it again, this time from a corner from the left. Parker swung in the ball and the Serb flicked it again to the back post with Agay on hand to drill the ball home at the far post.
Chiefs then turned the game on its head in the 77th minute. It took some good work from Daniel Cardoso who broke down a Polokwane City attack and set Nurković into space. The Chiefs attacker let the ball run before striking it with power from distance, beating Chibwe hands up to score his 13th league goal of the season and put Chiefs 3-2 ahead.
Six minutes from time, Chiefs missed the chance to score a fourth goal. Substitute Philani Zulu found himself in acres of space down the right and raced onto the ball - he played it towards Kambole who was unmarked in the City 18-yard area. As Kambole rolled the ball past the stranded Chibwe, Edgar Manaka came back to clear the ball of his line.
In the final minute of the game, Chiefs’ teenage substitute Keletso Sifama was pushed over by Dennis Chembezi inside the Polokwane City penalty box. Chiefs were awarded a penalty. From the resulting spot kick, Cardoso crashed the ball against the post.
Chiefs managed to hold on for the win after trailing for most of the game, Amakhosi dug deep to turn the game around and put Chiefs six points clear at the table. A perfect boost for their next game against Bloemfontein Celtic.
52- Chiefs passed the 50-point mark for the season with this victory. This is the first time since the 2014-15 season that Chiefs have amassed more than 50 points in the league.
3 – Home and away Chiefs ended a three-game winless run in league games against Polokwane City. It was their first away league win over them in 6 games and their first since April 2014.
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Chiefs second half substitutions paid dividends with the likes of Bernard Parker and Willard Katsande proving to be highly effective. Parker proved to be dangerous from set pieces with two of his corners being turned home. Samir Nurković was once again amongst the main influencers for Chiefs contributing with two assists as well as scoring the game winner which was his 13th league goal of the season.
What does it mean?
Chiefs are now six points clear at the top of the table with this win.
Teams:
Chiefs: Akpeyi; Frosler (Mphahlele 46), Mathoho, Cardoso ©, Sasman (Parker 46’); Manyama (21), Agay, Baccus (Katsande © 46’), Billiat (Zulu 81’); Nurković (Sifama 86’), Kambole
Subs not used: Bvuma, Moleko, Ngcobo, Mashiane
Polokwane: Chibwe; Mvelase, Chembezi, Nkili, Hlongwane; Nku (Booi 73’), Phiri (Manaka 63’), Chauke, Mngomezulu (Musona 73’); Maluleke © (Tlolane 80’), Anas (Mashumba 64’)
Subs not used: Chigova, Semenya, Buthlezi, Motloung
What’s next?
Chiefs are next in action against Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday, 19 August at the University of Pretoria.
Polokwane City (1) 2 (Nku 16’, Maluleke 61’)
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 3 (Katsande 71’, Agay 76’, Nurković 77’)
Kaizer Chiefs showed great resilience as they rallied from two goals down to defeat Polokwane City 3-2 in a thrilling Absa Premiership game at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday. The result puts Chiefs six points clear at the top of the table. Polokwane City had gone 2-0 up with goals from Lesiba Nku and Jabulani Maluleke before Chiefs fought back. Willard Katsande, Anthony Akumu and Samir Nurković scored three goals in the space of six minutes deep into the second half to turn the game around in Chiefs’ favour.
In the second minute of the game, Daniel Akpeyi was called into action as he did well to make a save at his near post with a shot from the left by Nku.
Chiefs had their opening chance in the 8th minute. A good run from Yagan Sasman down the left that saw the defender send in a telling ball which Lazalous Kambole was able to hack into the path of Samir Nurković. The Serb took a powerful shot but his effort rattled the side netting.
Akpeyi was called into action in the 14th minute as he came off his line to block a vicious angled shot from the left by Vusimuzi Mngomezulu, with Nku bearing down on goal. Two minutes later Polokwane City took the lead after a Chiefs attack broke down and Amakhosi were unable to clear their lines. The ball was eventually lobbed over the Chiefs defence by Phiri. Nku chased down the ball and lifted it over Akpeyi to hand the hosts the lead.
In the 20th minute Polokwane City countered Chiefs with a long ball out of their defence which saw Maluleke play Phiri into space, with just Akpeyi to be he shot wide of goal.
A minute later, Chiefs threatened the Polokwane City’s goal with a curling ball from the right by Reeve Frosler to cause havoc in the Polokwane backline. Keeper Cyril Chibwe came out for the ball but failed to collect it. The ball moved to the back post where Nurković was lurking, but he failed to make contact with the ball.
Polokwane City had Chibwe to thank for preserving their lead as he was at full stretch in the 33rd minute to deny Nurković from grabbing an equaliser. The Serb had managed to launch himself into the air to meet a cross from the right by Kearyn Baccus.
Polokwane City went into the halftime break 1-0 up.
Coach Ernest Middendorp made three changes at halftime, bringing on Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker for Reeve Frosler, Kearyn Baccus and Yagan Sasman, respectively.
Just past the hour mark, Chiefs fell two goals back after a free kick from distance by Maluleka deflected against Anthony Akumu Agay in the Chiefs wall. The ball looped over Akpeyi and nestled into the back of the Chiefs net to put Polokwane City 2-0 up.
A ball into the box from Manyama in the 67th minute had Chibwe stretching to push the ball over his goal for a corner. From the resulting corner, he was alert again diving at full stretch to stop an effort by Kambole on the goal-line.
In the 71st minute, Chiefs managed to pull one back when a well-taken corner from the right by Bernard Parker was flicked on to the far post by Nurković where another halftime substitute Willard Katsande raced forward to head the ball home. The score was 2-1.
With 14 minutes to go, a Parker and Nurković combination was at it again, this time from a corner from the left. Parker swung in the ball and the Serb flicked it again to the back post with Agay on hand to drill the ball home at the far post.
Chiefs then turned the game on its head in the 77th minute. It took some good work from Daniel Cardoso who broke down a Polokwane City attack and set Nurković into space. The Chiefs attacker let the ball run before striking it with power from distance, beating Chibwe hands up to score his 13th league goal of the season and put Chiefs 3-2 ahead.
Six minutes from time, Chiefs missed the chance to score a fourth goal. Substitute Philani Zulu found himself in acres of space down the right and raced onto the ball - he played it towards Kambole who was unmarked in the City 18-yard area. As Kambole rolled the ball past the stranded Chibwe, Edgar Manaka came back to clear the ball of his line.
In the final minute of the game, Chiefs’ teenage substitute Keletso Sifama was pushed over by Dennis Chembezi inside the Polokwane City penalty box. Chiefs were awarded a penalty. From the resulting spot kick, Cardoso crashed the ball against the post.
Chiefs managed to hold on for the win after trailing for most of the game, Amakhosi dug deep to turn the game around and put Chiefs six points clear at the table. A perfect boost for their next game against Bloemfontein Celtic.
52- Chiefs passed the 50-point mark for the season with this victory. This is the first time since the 2014-15 season that Chiefs have amassed more than 50 points in the league.
3 – Home and away Chiefs ended a three-game winless run in league games against Polokwane City. It was their first away league win over them in 6 games and their first since April 2014.
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Chiefs second half substitutions paid dividends with the likes of Bernard Parker and Willard Katsande proving to be highly effective. Parker proved to be dangerous from set pieces with two of his corners being turned home. Samir Nurković was once again amongst the main influencers for Chiefs contributing with two assists as well as scoring the game winner which was his 13th league goal of the season.
What does it mean?
Chiefs are now six points clear at the top of the table with this win.
Teams:
Chiefs: Akpeyi; Frosler (Mphahlele 46), Mathoho, Cardoso ©, Sasman (Parker 46’); Manyama (21), Agay, Baccus (Katsande © 46’), Billiat (Zulu 81’); Nurković (Sifama 86’), Kambole
Subs not used: Bvuma, Moleko, Ngcobo, Mashiane
Polokwane: Chibwe; Mvelase, Chembezi, Nkili, Hlongwane; Nku (Booi 73’), Phiri (Manaka 63’), Chauke, Mngomezulu (Musona 73’); Maluleke © (Tlolane 80’), Anas (Mashumba 64’)
Subs not used: Chigova, Semenya, Buthlezi, Motloung
What’s next?
Chiefs are next in action against Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday, 19 August at the University of Pretoria.
