Posted in News on Aug 27, 2006.
Venue: Vodacom Loftus Pretoria
Date: 27 August 2006
Competition: Premier Soccer League
Temperature: 22 °C Wind light South Westerly
If the opening day of the 2006-07 season is a pre cursor for what is to come in the following nine months Chiefs fans will do well to brace themselves for an exciting season, as Chiefs and their perennial Achilles heal SuperSport United played out an exciting 2-2 draw in Pretoria.
Chiefs twice had to come from behind in a game which they could have easily won, The Amakhosi showed strength and character as they put on a late show to draw level with just four minutes of normal time left as they were trailing 2-1 at the time.
After just four minutes of play, Kaizer Chiefs challenged Andre Andrese’ goal for the first time with a free kick by David Obua which went wide. Seven minutes in, saw SuperSport looking dangerous with a long ball to their number 7, Daine Klate. This seemed to be the type of play SuperSport would favour; picking out their strikers with great accuracy, and giving the Chiefs back four plenty of work.
Three minutes later, Siyabonga Nkosi took his chance with a shot from long range which went wide. Arthur Zwane, who seemed to be struggling to find his rhythm in the game, was booked after a foul on Katlego Mashego outside the box. SuperSport set-up their free kick, spiralling the ball into Rowan Fernandez’s net, but was disallowed as Chiefs were still organising their defence and the referee had not blown for the free kick to be taken.
Klate picked out James Chamanga, and Nzama shielded the free-kick with Fernandez collecting. Five minutes later, SuperSport danger-man Klate would again find his shot wide. Less than a minute later, Mathebula chipped the ball over his shoulder with Obua running onto the ball, but the clever play was collected by Arendse.
It would be SuperSport who would finally strike first with a free kick taken by Teke Modise, and Ricardo Katza slotting the ball into the back of the net. SuperSport 1, Kaizer Chiefs 0. Just as halftime approached, Chiefs had a really good chance of scoring when Obua’s free kick found Nkosi, but he sent his shot wide over the bar.
Chiefs had to wait until the second half before they could be able to extract revenge. The half started off with explosive energy and Derrick Spencer took a cracking shot from outside the box, hitting the crossbar. A foul on Schalkwyk by the SuperSport goal scorer Katza, gave Chiefs the chance they had been waiting for.
Nkosi rolled the ball for Obua, who shot it across the face of the goal. It was perfectly placed and Mathebula simply walked onto the ball, beating Arendse and putting Chiefs level with SuperSport.
14 minutes later Obua headed the ball from a corner kick sending it ricocheting off the ground and over the net. In the 70th minute, Nzama took Mashego down inside the box resulting in Mashego being stretchered off and SuperSport being awarded a penalty.
A penalty kick was awarded and Katza took it, beating the keeper despite Fernandez’s best effort. The play intensified as the Amakhosi tried to regroup and improve their record against Mosimane's team.
Obua again was to be the playmaker in Chiefs equalising goal in the 84th minute. He sent a ball into the box from long range and it bounced off the upright and onto Kaizer Motaung Jnr’s right foot. He sent it flying into the bottom left hand corner leaving Arendse beaten and Chiefs fans very delighted.
Both teams played with renewed excitement but neither could make could fend off the opposition as the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
With international fixtures penned in for next weekend Chiefs will have the week to regroup and begin planning for their next league game against Benoni Premier United in two weeks time. The Amakhosi’s immediate attention will be towards the SAA Supa8 as they will find out on Monday Morning after a draw will be held to determine Chiefs' opponents in the semifinal.
Line Up’s: SuperSport United
1. A. Arendse, 4. T. Mahoa, 3. J. Matloa, 6. S. Gaxa, 2. R. Katza, 13. S. Poggenpoel, 10. A. Phiri,
11. T. Modise, 22. J. Chamanga (9. Bucuane 88 min), 21. K. Mashego (17. Tsabedze 71 min),
7. D. Klate (15. Williams 81 min)
Substitutes: 16. G. Johnson, 17. T. Tzabedze, 28. S. Mahlangu, 29. S. Kandera, 15. E. Williams, 12. T. Coyle, 9. M. Bucuane
Coach: Pitso Mosimane
Kaizer Chiefs:
1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau, 44. S. Mkhonza, 4. C. Nzama, 13. D. Obua,
28. D. Spencer (20. Agyemang 78 min), 24. D. Mathebula (7. Motaung Jnr 78 min),
18. A. Zwane (11. Ngobese 65 min), 10. S. Nkosi, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 17. S. Bartlett
Substitutes: 32. I. Khune, 6. F. McCarthy, 7. K. Motaung Jnr, 11. E. Ngobese, 20. L. Agyemang, 8.T. Nengomasha, 27. G. Sibeko
Coach: Ernst Middendorp
Yellow Cards: Kaizer Chiefs: 24. David Mathebula 20 min, 4. Cyril Nzama 70 min, 7. Kaizer Motaung Junior 86 min
SuperSport United: 2. Ricardo Katza 48 min, 10. Alfred Phiri 54 min
Referee: B. Gqubile
Assistant 1: E. Molefe
Assistant 2: H. Radebe
