Posted in News on Jan 14, 2007.
Vodacom Loftus, Tshwane (Pretoria)
Premier Soccer League
Kick Off: 15h45
14th January 2007
Temperature: 28 Celsius
Two unanswered second half goals by substitute Scara Ngobese and striker Kaizer Motaung Junior helped Kaizer Chiefs to 2-0 victory over Benoni Premier United on Sunday.
After a first half which finished goalless The Amakhosi seized the initiative in the second half and Ngobese knocked the fight out of the premiership new comers with a well taken goal just a couple of minutes, after coming on to the field as a second half substitute.
Ngobese's strike was followed up by a goal from Kaizer Motaung Junior three minutes later, which earned Motaung his seventh league goal of the season and sealed the victory for Chiefs.
Chiefs were in search of their first win of 2007 while Benoni were looking for their first victory in four games, it was Chiefs who did all the early running and were almost gifted with a scoring opportunity in the sixth minute. As a long searching throw in from Siphiwe Mkhonza flew into the Benoni United 18 yard area, the United keeper made a hash of the clearance and punched the ball towards his own goal mouth.
His blushes though were eventually saved by his teammate Beauford Tshabalala, who under some pressure from Gert Schalkwyk managed to clear the ball off the line.
Three minutes later, Chiefs could feel somewhat aggrieved as they had a good case for a penalty; this after Kaizer Motaung Junior had turned James Sangala inside out and as Benoni Premier United defender rolled over. He handled the ball but referee Abdul Ebrahim decided to play on which worked in Benoni’s favour as they counterattacked, and might have taken the lead but Mhlabhi dragged his shot wide of Fernandez goal.
In the sixteenth minute Chiefs wasted a wonderful scoring opportunity, when Siyabonga Nkosi got on to the end of a Gerald Sibeko pass, he did all the hard work by taking on and leaving a trail of defenders in his wake. Siyabonga then rolled the ball across the Benoni 18 yard box towards Gert Schalkwyk, who knocked the ball high and wide and the chance went a begging.
Two minutes later, Chiefs had Rowen Fernandez to thank as he made two great reflex saves in quick succession; the first came as the ball bobbled under Jimmy Tau’s legs and rolled off to Adebayo whose first time shot struck the legs of Fernandez. The rebound was collected by Okafor whose follow up shot was then saved by an outstretched Rowen Fernandez.
It was Benoni United though who came closest to finding the back of the net in the first half, after they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Chiefs 18 yard area, Sello Mhlabhi stepped up to take the kick. From the resultant kick he managed to float the ball over the Chiefs wall, with Fernandez covering the other side of the goal post the Chiefs keeper could only look on as his cross bar came to the rescue.
Chiefs final action of the first half saw Siyabonga Nkosi match Mhlabhi as he too managed to turn a free kick over the Benoni United Wall, Yobou raced across his line to push the ball out as the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the first half. The teams left for the half time whistle goalless.
The second half saw Chiefs continue their search for that elusive opening goal, on fifty minutes Kaizer Motaung Junior could have had his name shining in bright lights as he hoped past three Benoni defenders en route to goal.
As he bore down on goal Yobou ran off his line to close down the Chiefs striker, his tactic worked as he was able to narrow down Motaung’s options which forced the Chiefs striker into taking an early shot which Yobou easily saved. Seven minutes into the second half, Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp made a double switch bringing on Arthur Zwane and Scara Ngobese for David Obua and Gerald Sibeko.
It was a move which seemed to work as Chiefs began playing with a spring in their step. Ten minutes after entering the field Scara Ngobese thanked his coach for bringing him into play in the best possible way, when on 62nd minutes after collecting a pass from Siyabonga Nkosi he glided across the face of goal and from being dead centre with the Benoni goal, he unleashed a vicious shot towards the right which gave a diving Yobou no chance of saving. The ensuing noise once the ball had nestled in the back of the net could have been heard many blocks away.
Three minutes later, Chiefs fans had further cause for celebration as Kaizer Motaung Junior popped up in the 65th minute of the game to score his seventh goal of the season and his tenth all time goal for the Amakhosi.
From that point onwards Chiefs were content with playing the ball around and had one more opportunity to have made the scoreline more emphatic. Siyabonga Nkosi was unfortunate though as his 77th minute freekick managed to beat the United wall and goalkeeper, but could only manage to rattle the cross bar.
With a host of teams ahead of Chiefs dropping valuable points in other PSL matches played on Sunday, Ernst Middendorp and his team will definitely not be having a blue Monday.
As Chiefs record their first ever victory over Benoni United in only the second ever meeting in a Premier Soccer League encounter, the three points reward will be enough to propel Chiefs back up to second spot in the league.
Line Up’s:
Kaizer Chiefs:
1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau (28. Spencer 86 min), 4. C. Nzama,
21. P. Mayo, 44. S. Mkhonza, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 27. G. Sibeko (18. Zwane 53 min),
13. D. Obua (11. Ngobese 53 min), 10. S. Nkosi, 8. T. Nengomasha, 7. K. Motaung Jnr,
Substitutes:
16. E. Baron, 28. D. Spencer, 9. S. Djiehoua, 24. D. Mathebula, 13. D. Obua, 18. Arthur Zwane, 11. E. Ngobese
Coach: Ernst Middendorp
Benoni Premier United:
29. N. Yobou, 8. T. Mashishi, 25. T. Masilela, 5. R. Konan,
30. J. Sangala, 2. B. Tshabalala, 18. S. Mhlabhi (15. Kgafane 75 min), 14. J. Mahlangu, 19. O. Okafor, 9. A. Adebayo (12. Coke 66 min), 17. B. Parker
Substitutes:
1. N. Tsengwa, 12. K. Coke, 50. T. Mabaso, 15. B. Kgafane, 21. T. Yawa, 11. T. Gopane, 28. S. Zwane
Coach: Sonas Molape
Cautions: Benoni Premier United, Yellow Cards: 18. Sello Mhlabhi 31 minutes
Officials:
Referee: Abdul Ebrahim
Assistant 1: Luyanda Somi
Assistant 2: Fikile Mtintsilana
4th Official: Gabriel Serkopo
Match Commissioner: Mark Lindon
