Posted in News on Jul 05, 2003.
Malawian defender Patrick Mabedi almost single-handedly kept Chiefs alive in the first
half and kept up a similar performance in the second half to help Amakhosi to their third
Vodacom title.
Had it not been for the timely and heroic tackles from Mabedi, Chiefs could have easily
gone into the break trailing the visitors by three goals to nothing. If Mabedi was
outstanding in the first half, in the second he was just superb as he continued from where
he left off.
Mazembe kept pilling the pressure on the two-time winners but without much success. The
game ended 0-0 and as competition rules dictated, it was straight to penalties to break
the deadlock.
In shoot-outs Mabedi stepped up to put Chiefs in the lead with the first penalty and
Jabu Pule converted the other while Thabo Mooki, David Radebe and John Moshoeu’s efforts
did not count.
With the score level 2-2 after Mazembe had score the same number of penalties, it was
Congolese striker Kabamba Musasa who gave Chiefs the upper hand with his superbly taken
kick that sent the evergreen Mayala Makweni the wrong way. Mazembe put their hopes in the
shoulders of 16-year-old Dieudonne Kalulika but his shot, taken low to Baloyi’s right, was
well saved. And Absa Stadium exploded in wild jubilation as Amakhosi and SA celebrated the
return of the Kudu Horn.
The penalty shoot-outs summed up a tense and fierce battle between the two sides who
could not break each other down. But it was the DRC visitors who had the upper hand for
most of the play.
The Glamour Boys started on a shaky grounds with defender Rodney Thobejane unwittingly
giving away possession just on the edge of the box but goalkeeper Brian Baloyi did well,
aided by the presence of Mabedi, to narrow down the angle and make a save.
As the pendulum quickly swung the other way, Chiefs a rare chance in this tense first
half. On five minutes midfielder John Moshoeu played through a great pass to striker
Patrick Mayo, who did well to beat the off-side trap but perhaps the nerves got the better
of him as Mayala Makweni came out just in time to save.
Another defensive error on 10 minutes, this time by Peter Matshitse, who allowed
Mulekelayi Kanku the opportunity to take a strike a Baloyi with his thunderbolt coming off
the upright but Chiefs frantically cleared the follow-up.
The comedy of errors continued. This time Thobejane, under pressure from Ngindi, lost
possession and as the supporters were calling for his head, Mabedi made a timely clearance
to wade off the danger. Ngindi was back knocking at the Chiefs goals on 37 minutes but his
shot, under pressure from Mabedi, flew just wide.
Chiefs decided to fight fire with fire with the introduction of DRC international on 57
minutes for Mayo and his arrival almost immediately tipped the scale into Amakhosi’s
favour.
The frailties in the Chiefs defence were further exposed on 58 minutes following a
corner by Bomboko, which was half-cleared and second half substitute Kalulinka pounced but
his effort was correctly ruled offside.
Chiefs did show some occasional threats on the Mazembe goalmouth but each time the
appeared to threaten the opposition, their efforts were quickly dosed off. One such
attempt was came on 61 minutes with the ball invitingly falling for an unmarked Richards
but Mungongo Lokenge quickly blasted the ball into safety.
Amakhosi got R1 million for this feat and will keep the original trophy as it is their
third victory since the start the competition. Other winners are Orlando Pirates in 1999
and FC Lupopo in 2002.
Teams:
Kaizer Chiefs: 16-Baloyi, 6-Kubeka (Zwane 84), 25-Matshitse (Kannemeyer 65),
3-Thobejane, 5-Mabedi, 12-Mooki, 91-Moshoeu, 11-Pule, 17-Richards, 31-Radebe, 9-Mayo
(Musasa 57).
TP Mazembe: 22-Makweni, 25-Musasa, 30-Lokenge, 31-Dikilu, 16-Matondo, 2-Mputi,
28-Kanku, 27-Tshinyama, 26-Bomboko (Bongeli 71), 21-Ngandu (Luyeye 81), 9-Ngindi (Kalulika
55).
Penalties:
Chiefs: Mabedi, Pule, Musasa
Mooki, Radebe, Moshoeu
Mazembe: Dikilu, Bongeli
Luyeye, Kanku, Matondo, Kalulika
