Posted in News on Dec 22, 2007.
22nd December 2007
Vodacom Loftus Stadium, Tshwane
Absa Premiership
Kick Off: 20h00
Playing Conditions: Partly Cloudy, light easterly wind temperature at kick off 26°C
Mushin Ertugral serving the first of a two match touchline ban watched from the stands at the Vodacom Loftus stadium as his team let a one goal lead slip and had to share the points with Leopards in their final game of 2007, the Chiefs coach will go into the long break which will next see The Amakhosi in action in February an unhappy man as he would have liked to have taken three points into the break with him.
Instead Chiefs will have had to settle for their ninth draw of the season, this despite them taking the lead in the fourteenth minute of the match three Siphiwe Tshabalala who timed his run to perfection before heading home a Mandla Masango cross.
Leopards gave as much as they got in the first half were some what static in the second, but did make the one real chance they had at goal count when Robert Ngambi neatly turned home a cross from his skipper Peter Mponda in the 71st minute. Once more Chiefs will be left to rue miss chances and there were many of them in this encounter, instead of sharing the spoils the Amakhosi should have cruised through in this encounter.
Fast pace
The first forty five minutes of this high tempo match was characterized by end to end action right from the kick off, as Leopards quickly regained possession and launched a counter attack.
Which saw Netshidzevhe put onto goal from the left channel, he ran at angle into the danger zone, but wasted the opportunity to capitalize on being given so much space as he tried to kick the ball around Khune he scuffed his shot and the ball rolled to the Chiefs keeper who was able to easily gather up the ball.
Continuous action
Mandla Masango favored in the starting eleven instead of Gerald Sibeko, received an accurate long ball from Itumeleng Khune and left Ramhavhale trailing in his wake as he headed in the third minute of the right hand byline. Where he looked up and saw Kaizer Junior in the Leopards penalty area.
Masango sent over a cross trying to find Motaung, a leopards defender manage to jump in front of the Chiefs striker and headed the ball to safety, Leopards were by no means out run and on eight minutes created a chance of their own. The hard working Fisher Kondwe curled a ball from the left onto the chest of Ramulondi on the edge of the Chiefs 18 yard area, he managed to hit the ball invitingly into the path of Jabu Maluleke who ran in and smashed the ball over Khune’s goal.
Masango mania
Mandla Masango intent on making an impression on the game did just that in the fourteenth minute when he danced his way past the Leopards defense, with some neatly crafted foot work which left the opposition bedazzled. Once he had taken on and left his marker he dispatched the ball goal wards, un checked Siphiwe Tshabalala raced into the Leopards six yard area and rose to head the ball past a bewildered Mamphitha and Chiefs into the lead.
Goal mouth drama
The crowd were being kept entertained by what was unfolding in front them, as the match reached the half way point of the first half David Mathebula was put through on goal with a brilliant ball along the ground, which left Leopards standing hoping for an off side flag which did not come.
As he bore down on goal he pushed the ball wide of Mamphita, the Leopards keeper managed to push him away from goal, by the time he was able to shoot for goal Rhamavhale came back to afford back and got the ball clear. Just past the half hour mark Leopards came close to an equalizer Mungomeni again managed to get in the perfect ball aimed at Kondwe, who launched himself through the air and connected with the ball unfortunately for him and luckily enough for Chiefs his header from a few yards out flew over Khune to safety.
Masango miss
The second half was not as evenly contested as the first with Chiefs holding the upper hand over Leopards in all the statistics, seven minutes after the restart Mandla Masango picked up a pass on the right and from a tight angle went for goal but missed the target. Had he looked up and glanced to his left he would have seen that team mate Kaizer Motaung Junior was free and unmarked inside the penalty area.
As the hour mark approached Chiefs had a corner on the right which Leopards managed to deal with, but the clearance fell invitingly for Jimmy Tau. Who from 25 yards let rip with a first time effort, which had Mamphita at full stretch trying to get to the ball, which managed to get a hand to and pushed the ball out to safety.
Skipper saves
Chiefs came oh so close to doubling their lead in the 66th minute, when after some good combination play between Siphiwe Tshabalala and Onismor Bhasera on the left, Tshabalala hit the ball up to Shaun Bartlett. Who headed the fall forward for Kaizer Junior who sprinted onto the ball and toe poked it over Mamphita who committed himself to getting the ball as he came off his line; he spared when his captain Peter Mponda raced back and cleared the ball off the line.
Leopards in the hunt
Pretty much against the run of play Leopards found themselves level in the 71st minute, Peter Mponda who had earlier cleared Kaizer Juniors effort off the line was at the heart of the move, as he managed to weave his way down the right he cut the ball back across the face of goal. Where Robert Ngambi was waiting, the ball went straight to him he had the not so tough task of side footing the ball home which he managed to do and got his team on to a level pegging.
Match Information:
Kaizer Chiefs: 32. Itumeleng Khune, 2. Jimmy Tau, 3. Onismor Bhasera, 29. Mokete Tsotetsi, 6. Fabian McCarthy, 8. Tinashe Nengomasha, 12. Thabo Mooki, 24. David Mathebula, 22. Mandla Masango, 14. Siphiwe Tshabalala, 7. Kaizer Motaung Junior
Substitution:
In: 13. David Obua Out: 12. Thabo Mooki 46 min
In: 17. Shaun Bartlett Out: 24. David Mathebula 61 min
In: 26. Thuso Phala Out: 22. Mandla Masango 75 min
Substitutes not used: 30. Emille Baron, 20. Sandile Zuke, 27. Gerald Sibeko, 33. Ditheko Mototo
Coach: Muhsin Ertugral
Assistant Coach: Fani Madida
Goalkeeper Coach: Rainer Dinkelacker
Black Leopards: 32. Mamphita Mashudu, 27. Papi Mungomeni, 18. Nono Lubhazano,
5. Eric Rhamavele, 30. Peter Mponda, 2. Fisher Kondwe, 10. Robert Ngambi,
8. Lebo Kekana, 20. Jabu Maluleke, 11. Chris Netshidzevhe, 19. Walter Ramulondi
Substitutions:
In: 15. Sibusiso Dlamini Out: 19. Walter Ramulondi 46min
Substitutes not used: 31. Ephraim Tjihonge, 17. Wanani Malaudzi, 3. Hartman Toromba, 33. David Twala, 12. Thabiso Hlalele, 29. Mulondo Sikhwivhilli
Cautions: Yellow Cards, 27. Papi Mungomeni (holding back Siphiwe Tshabalala) 22 min
Coach: S. Ramahdaan
Goalkeeper Coach: Joel Mashuta
Match Officials:
Referee: Jonas Nhlapho
Assistant 1: Joel Morajane
Assistant 2: Johannes Moshidi
4th Official: Robert Sithole
Match Commissioner: Jorge Lobo
