Posted in News on Mar 19, 2007.
Eldorado Park Stadium
Premier Soccer Reserve League
19th March 2007
Kick Off: 16h00
Temperature: 22 °C
The Kaizer Chiefs reserves and their Orlando Pirates counterparts played out an entertaining four goal thriller at the Eldorado Park Stadium on Monday afternoon, in front of a near capacity crowd who were kept on the edge of their seats through out.
Staring defeat in the face well into injury time at the end of the game, the Amakhosi looked to be heading for their first loss in the reserve league when David Radebe shot home from close range to level the scores at 2-2.
Earlier on Chiefs took the lead through a brilliantly taken Thabo Mooki free kick, three goals inside the final minutes of the game made for a truly memorable football spectacle. As Pirates looking to be heading for victory Chiefs for the second time this season found an extra time equalizer to break the Buccaneers hearts.
Serge Djiehoua squandered the opportunity to have put The Amakhosi ahead in the game as early as the 3rd minute, after Gert Schalkwyk had weaved his way past two Pirates defenders and played a short pass to him. Unfortunately Djiehoua from inside the Pirates six yard area was unable to control his shot and knocked the ball high and wide over Phali’s goal. Six minutes later and Djiehoua was again the unfortunate party after a delicate Thabo Mooki chip, which caught out the Pirates defense and found Gert Schalkwyk who beat the Pirates off side trap and sent a pass across goal towards Djiehoua, who with the slightest of contact would have found the back of the net, instead the ball rolled by him and out for a goal kick much to the relieve of the Pirates defense.
Pirates though were almost gifted the lead in the 18th minute when Chiefs goalkeeper Ryan Wuest was unable to hold a Gift Leremi shot from distance. The ball fell invitingly at the feet of Excellent Walaza who rounded Wuest and shot goal wards only for Stephen Faba to block the ball on the line. The rebound fell again to Walaza and at the second time of asking, Fabian McCarthy got in the way and cleared the ball to safety.
From the 20th minute for a period of six minutes it turned into the tale of the three free kicks, after Gert Schalkwyk was brought down just outside the Pirates 18 yard area in the 20th minute. Chiefs were awarded with a free kick and Thabo Mooki stepped up and curled the ball over the Pirates wall and rattled the cross bar, with Phali well beaten.
Four minutes on and Schalkwyk was again the victim. This time around Serge Djiehoua stepped up and again the Pirates defensive wall was beaten but the Ivorian's kick floated just over Phali’s cross bar.
One just had the feeling that Chiefs were getting closer to finding the back of the net. Two minutes later in the 26th minute when Schalkwyk was again upended just outside the Pirates 18 yard area, Mooki stepped up and curled the ball beyond the three man Pirates wall, to the far post and beyond the outstretched arms of Phali to spectacularly give Chiefs the lead.
Just after the half hour mark, Wuest kept The Amakhosi in front as he made a superb save, diving off the crowd to knock over a powerfully driven volley from Collins Chabalala.
The final action of the first half saw Djiehoua head a David Mathebula cross from the right against the far post, the teams left the field with Chiefs leading by a goal to nil.
While Chiefs had the lion's share of play in the first half, Pirates had the upper hand in the second and from the onset were looking to find a way back into the game, when five minutes after the restart Tonic Chabalala tested Wuest with a shot from an acute angle. The Chiefs keeper was able to get down well to the shot to make the save. A minute later and the Chiefs goal was again under attack as Leremi floated in a ball for Walaza. The young striker under pressure from Faba, shot wide.
As Pirates threw everything into attack, Chiefs were happy to absorb the pressure and looked to pounce on the counter attack, and were nearly rewarded for their patience on 63 minute when after some good build up play, Mooki played a beautiful defense splitting pass which sliced open the Pirates defense, for Kaizer Junior who picked up the ball and charged goalwards and laid off a ball to Djiehoua who found the back of the net with out any hassle, only for the referee to rule out the goal for offside a decision which looked a bit harsh on the Chiefs striker.
The real drama began as the game entered the final ten minutes. WIth Pirates continuing to apply pressure, it was not going to be long before they found a way back and it came for them in the 85th minute as Bongani Cashibe levelled matters with a well taken shot from distance. The ball drifted beyond Wuest and nestled into the top corner of the Chiefs goal mouth.
Four minutes later, Pirates took the lead through Walaza who ran in on goal and hit the ball at the first attempt past Wuest, to hand his team the advantage.
Chiefs though did not lie down and tried to find a way back in injury time. Schalkwyk found David Radebe whose close range shot was blocked by Phali. Half a minute later and in a copycat move, Radebe found himself in the same position. This time around he was able to knock the ball home to level matters and in the process scored his fifth goal for the Chiefs reserves.
Line Up’s:
Kaizer Chiefs: 30. R. Wuest, 23. L. Molekwane, 5. S. Faba, 25. G. Schalkwyk,
3. F. McCarthy, 28. D. Spencer, 27. G. Sibeko, 24. D. Mathebula (7. Motaung 60 min), 12. T. Mooki (19. Bamose 65 min), 9. S. Djiehoua, 20. L. Agyemang (31. Radebe 68 min)
Substitutes: 32. T. Ngobeni, 22. J. Pilusa, 31. D. Radebe, 19. G. Bamose,
7. K. Motaung Jnr, 6. N. Mthinunye
Coach: Donald Khuse
Orlando Pirates: 29. A. Phali, 4. H. Jele (16. Mabe 90 min), 20. T. Leshabane (35. I. Chansa 52 min),
33. T. Chabalala, 36. G. McNab, 7. G. Leremi, 39. G. Modabi, 25. B. Cashibe,
21. S. Manamela, 08. E. Walaza, 26. C. Chabalala (18. Masehe 52 min)
Substitutes: 35. I. Chansa, 02. M. Rashete, 16. k. Mabe, 18. P. Masehe
Coach: Papi Khomane
Cautions: Orlando Pirates, Yellow Cards, 33. Tonic Chabalala 25 min
Officials:
Referee: Patric Matualetta
Assistant 1: Phillip Sehlatela
Assistant 2: Patrick Marumo
4TH Official: Abesian Phukang
Match Commissioner: Eprahim Motsoane
