Tame Birds no match for Chiefs
Tame Birds no match for Chiefs

Posted in News on Apr 07, 2004.

Kaizer Chiefs played with a lot of heart and passion but wasted countless scoring

opportunities in their 2-1 win against Moroka Swallows at Soccer City on Wednesday.

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Chiefs managing director Kaizer Motaung summed it up well when he said, “We were too

wasteful on the night.”

Amakhosi supporters know all too well that they cannot afford such luxury especially with

Ajax Cape Town breathing down their neck in the championship race. In the event that the

championship is decided on goal difference, Chiefs could look back on the missed chances

in this fixture and few others where they dominated but failed to deliver the killer

blow.



However, after such a taxing cup match over the weekend, the Chiefs attackers would earn

temporary reprieve for their inability to locate the target on the night.



The Glamour Boys, recovering from their Absa Cup set back against Ajax, had the upper hand

from the start and could have gone into the break with a healthy lead. Striker David

Radebe had a chance to increase his account to six league goals but missed four clear

chances. He was later forced off the field through injury and Swazi international Sbusiso

Dlamini filled his shoes.



DR Congo international striker Kabamba Musasa increased his tally for the season to three

with a fine header on 35 minutes to give the hosts the advantage. It was a combination of

great work and sheer skill between striker David Radebe and midfielder Thabo Mooki who

flicked the ball over to Musasa in the box.



Chiefs might have increased the score two minutes before the break. Stanton Fredericks

came sprinting down the right and delivered a lovely cross to Radebe who agonisingly shot

wide when scoring appeared the easier option.



Mooki, who was on the starting line-up only for the ninth time this season, put up another

brilliant show in midfield and finally scored his first goal of the season in the 90th

minute. The Swallows defence had gone walk about on this occasion and Mooki made no

mistake.



The combination of Jabulani Mendu and Tenashe Nengomasha seemed to work wonders for Chiefs

as they effectively cut out the threat from Edzai Kasinaiyo and Sam Ngobeni.



The Swallows attack looked blunted without suspended striker Lungisani Ndlela and the

Chiefs goal was never really in danger.



When the fourth official indicated that only two minutes of stoppages would be added,

maximum points appeared safely tucked in the bag. Swallows never gave up, however, and when they

won the free-kick just on the edge of the box no one among the 10 000 crowd would have

expected any better than what they have mustered over the 90 minutes.



The visitors got their consolation, a fine strike from the free-kick spot by defender

Warren Lewis, a minute into stoppages. Swallows would feel they could have come away from

Soccer City with at least a point, bar the misdirected shots from their strikers.



Swallows had an early chance two minutes into the game as they enthusiastically attacked

their hosts with scant respect but Carlo Scott missed what appeared to be an obvious

chance in the six-yard area. That miss perhaps set the tone for Swallows’ night at Soccer

City, as they never really troubled Chiefs from that moment onwards.



Teams:



Kaizer Chiefs:
1-Fernandez, 6-McCarthy, 5-Mabedi, 4-Nzama, 14-Kannemeyer, 12-Mooki,

8-Nengomasha, 10-Fredericks (Khanye 54), 22-Mendu (Moshoeu 68), 33-Musasa, 31-Radebe

(Dlamini 79).



Moroka Swallows:
13-Hendricks, 24-Petersen, 17-McNab, 4-Lewis, 22-Mazibuko, 8-Mofokeng,

25-Lekone (Permall 84), 3-Ngobeni (Lota 46), 21-Mokoti, 7-Scott (Lebese 57), 11-Kasinaiyo.

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