Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on Nov 26, 2023.
Moroka Swallows (0) 0
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1
(Saile 82’)
Dobsonville Stadium, Dube
Christian Saile’s late goal earned Kaizer Chiefs a 1-0 victory in a hard-fought Soweto Derby against Moroka Swallows at the Dobsonville stadium on Sunday afternoon, moving them into 6th position on the DStv Premiership log.
Coach Cavin Johnson made five changes to the line-up that played Against Orlando Pirates before the international break, primarily due to injuries and, in Edson Castillo’s case, a touch of jet lag following a long trip from Venezuela.
The match began at a relatively steady pace, with the scorching heat a definite factor in both teams wanting to conserve energy in the stifling conditions.
Amakhosi had an early scare when Gabadinho Mhango’s 7th minute free kick clipped the woodwork but from then on, it was Chiefs who looked the more likely to achieve a breakthrough.
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo had an opportunity in the 12thminute when he pounced after Andile Jali mis-controlled a loose pass, but his effort failed to hit the target from 20 yards out.
A minute later, some well executed pressing by Amakhosi won possession in a dangerous area after the Swallows defence dallied trying to play out from the back and Christian Saile came close to putting the Glamour Boys into the lead.
Ranga Chivaviro also went close, rifling a snap shot just the wrong side of Birds goalkeeper,Daniel Akpeyi’s upright and into the side netting after 21 minutes.
Bruce Bvuma, playing his first game of the season in place of the inured Itumeleng Khune and Brandon Petersen, kept Amakhosi level in the 28th minute when he saved a Mhango shot from point-blank range, to the great relief of S’fiso Hlanti, whose misplaced clearance fell to the Swallows forward.
A couple of minutes before the break, Ox Mthethwa almost scored his first ever goal in senior football when he won possession on the halfway line and attempted a Yusuf Maart-style long range lob which didn’t miss by much, and the teams finished the half with no score on the board.
Amakhosi made the early running at the beginning of the second half, and a couple of dangerous crosses just needed to be finished off as the pressure began to mount on the home side’s defence.
On 53 minutes, Ngcobo found Pule Mmodi’s darting run with an equally incisive defence-splitting pass that was only thwarted by a sharp save from Daniel Akpeyi.
Mmodi was a constant threat down the left and his determined run in the 64th minute almost set up Maart, captain on the day, before Akpeyi gathered the ball at his feet.
The alarm bells were flashing for Swallows in the 79th minute following a lightning Chiefs breakaway. Saile showed his electric pace to sprint blear of his marker and pulled the ball square for Ngcobo, who thought he had scored only for Keenan Phillips to clear off the line.
The decisive moment came shortly afterwards, with eight minutes left of regulation time. The ever-industrious Maart capitalised on some sloppy Swallows play and carried the ball to the edge of the box where he laid it off to Jasond Gonzalez.
The lanky Colombian displayed sublime awareness to play an outrageous dummy and allow the ball to run through to the unmarked Saile ,who tucked the ball past Akpeyi for the winning goal.
The three valuable points, in what was Amakhosi’s 400th win since the inception of the PSL, leaves them on 17 points from their 13 matches to date. Their next league assignment is a trip to Limpopo to face Polokwane City on 9 December.
Line-ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma (32), Hlanti (23), Dove (2), Msimango (25), Frosler (39), Mthethwa (5), Maart (8) (Nj Ngcobo (27) 90+2’), Nk Ngcobo (12)(Castillo (17) 80’), Mmodi (13) Mashiane (19)90+2’), Saile Basomboli (21), Chivaviro (7)(Gonzalez (14) 62’)
Subs not used: Petersen (44); Kwinika (4), Zwane (37), , Radebe (33), Shabalala (42)
Coach: Cavin Johnson
Moroka Swallows: Akpeyi (16), Sibiya (27), Phillips (27), Mtshali (10), Makhubela (72) (Malinga (26) 80’), Jali (15), Allan (4), Phalane (8) (Van Rhyn (12) 90’), Sam (66), Mabasa (9), Mhango (11) (Zuma (42) (57’)
Subs not used: Mbanjwa (31), Maponya (25), Tshanini (19), Sibiya (2), Khumalo (14), Rampa (17)
Coach: Steve Komphela
