Kaizer Chiefs lost 1-0 to Black Leopards in an Absa Premiership clash at FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.

In one of the few occasions when either side managed to turn the defence around, David Zulu was first onto a powerful low cross and toe-poked the ball past Arthur Bartman.

Leopards started the better side and looked as if they could well be playing on their home ground and not at FNB Stadium.

Their first chance came in the 20th minute when a deep free kick was spilled by Chiefs goalkeeper Bartman, only for Kingston Nkhatha to blast the rebound back into Bartman’s grasp.

A few minutes later, Leopards left back Vincent Xakane got down the flank and whipped in a first time cross on the run, but got the direction slightly wrong and it almost snuck in at Bartman’s near post, but the 40-year-old ‘keeper just got back to his near post in time.

Lidoda Duvha’s best chance of the opening half came in the 28th minute. Rodney Ramagalela got into space out wide and chipped in a cross, which found Kingston Nkhatha who slipped in between two defenders. But he mis-timed his header when he really should have buried the chance.

It took 35 minutes for Chiefs to get a shot at goal, and this was their home match. Lucky Baloyi was the man who let rip with a long range effort, but the ball flew high and had very little power on it.

Then in the 42nd Willard Katsande also struck a long range shot, but this time his left footed stinger was on target, but Posnett Omony did very well to punch away the danger

Directly after the interval, Vladimir Vermezovic made two changes with Bernard Parker replacing Mandla Masango and Abia Nale on for George Lebese.

In the 63rd minute, Chiefs missed a great chance when Parker missed the target following a great through ball by Tshabalala. But credit must again go to Leopards’ towering defender Khoza, who did enough to put Parker off.

Vermezovic made his third and final change in the 64th minute, taking off defensive midfielder Baloyi and bringing on striker Sithembiso Ngcobo

In the 81st minute Majoro turned well outside the area, but his right-footed attempt flew over the bar.

A minute later he got wide on the left and drilled in a low shot, but missed at the near post.

TEAMS

Chiefs: Bartman; Tau, Isaacs, Zvasiya, Jambo; Masango (Parker 46’), Baloyi (Ngcobo 64’), Katsande, Lebese (Nale 46’); Tshabalala; Majoro

Leopards: Omony; Mabunda (Banda 77’), Khoza, Mabusela, Xakane; Dzaga, Duiker, Mapolisa, Bobe; Ramagalela (Zulu 38’), Nkhatha (Monama 80’)