A goal from Mandla Masango handed Kaizer Chiefs a 1-0 win over Mpumalanga Black Aces in an Absa Premiership match at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The win sees the Amakhosi going into the Christmas break unbeaten in the league and on 46 points from 18 matches.

Chiefs dominated the possession stakes in the opening half, but Aces looked the more threatening in attack.

The Amakhosi’s first decent effort on goal came in the 13th minute when Bernard Parker cut in from the left flank and fired a 20-yard shot goalwards, but he saw his attempt well-saved by the keeper.

Six minutes later Tendai Ndoro came close to opening the scoring when he met a left wing cross, but his effort from 14-yards out was saved onto the right-hand post by Brilliant Khuzwayo.

In the follow-up action the ball was worked back into the Chiefs box and this time Ndoro saw an effort from 16-yards out beat the keeper, but cleared off the goalline by Erick Mathoho.

In the 23rd minute Chiefs came close to scoring when Bernard Parker flicked on a corner-kick for his teammate Kingston Nkhatha, but the Zimbabwean headed over from a couple of yards out.

Three minutes later Ndoro was in the thick of the action again when he was on the end of a ball over the top of the Amakhosi defence from Abia Nale, but the former fired inches over from an acute angle on the left side of the six-yard box.

Chiefs had the last say of the half when Ivan Bukenya met a right wing cross from Siphiwe Tshabalala three minutes before the break, but under no pressure and the goal at his mercy, the Ugandan headed over from two-yards out.

The half ended 0-0.

Aces were unlucky not to take the lead five minutes after the restart when Aubrey Ngoma cut in from the right flank and fired a 20-yard shot goalwards, but he saw his effort strike the underside of the crossbar and bounce away from danger.

On the hour mark Chiefs took the lead when Mandla Masango superbly headed home a Nkhatha right-wing cross from 14-yards out, 1-0.

Masnago should have put the result beyond doubt in the 78th minute when he was put through on goal by Reneilwe Letsholonyane, but he failed to beat the keeper in a one-on-one situation.

The miss did not matter as Chiefs picked up their 14th win in the league while Aces suffered their sixth loss.

Teams

Chiefs: Khuzwayo, Gaxa, Mashamaite, Mathoho, Masilela, Letsholonyane, Bukenya, Masango (Rusike 88’), Tshabalala (Gould 64’), Parker, Nkhatha (Maluleka 65’).

Aces: Mabokgwane, Mampuru, Nonyane, Gyimah, Gumede, Ngalo, Tukane, Ngoma, Mbesuma (Okonkwo 80’), Nale (Timm 62’), Ndoro.