Sekhukhune United (1) 1
(Seabi 4’)

Kaizer Chiefs (0) 0

DStv Premiership
Peter Mokaba stadium, Polokwane

Kaizer Chiefs fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against SekhukhuneUnited in the DStv Premiership at the Peter Mokaba stadium on Sunday afternoon.

A fortuitous fourth minute strike from Sammy Seabi proved to be enough to earn all three points for Sekhukhune.

Amakhosi began the match on the front foot and, with just over a minute gone, Ashley Du Preez pulled a shot wide after being found in space by Dillan Solomons.

Chiefs, however, found themselves trailing shortly thereafter. Sekhukhune broke down the right flank and Chibuike Ohizo’s low ball into the box deflected off Siyabonga Ngezana, wrongfooting the Chiefs defence, and rolled into the path of Seabi, who beat Brandon Petersen from close range.

Despite the setback, Amakhosi continued to play with positive intent and managed a few efforts on goal against a resolute and well organised Sekhukhune rear guard. Reeve Frosler fired over the bar from distance and a couple of minutes later skipper, Keagan Dolly thought his deft curling chip was going to go in until goalkeeper Badri Sangare clawed it away for a corner. Yusuf Maart also weighed in with a couple of shots that came close to hitting the target.

The teams went into the halftime break with Chiefs on top, though a goal behind.

They emerged for the second period to continue where they left off in the first half, with Solomons going on a driving run at the heart of the hosts’ defence but he couldn’t find the shot to beat Sangare.

On a rare Sekhukhune attack, Petersen showed his mettle with a superb save to deny Vusi Mncube.

Sekhukhune packed their midfield to stifle Amakhosi's creativity, which led coach Arthur Zwane to opt for a more direct approach, by bringing on striker, Caleb Bimenyimana. It almost paid immediate dividends as the lanky Burundian frontman headed just wide and Christian Saile went close in quick succession as more crosses began to come in from wide.

The home side were fortunate to finish the match with 11 players after a potentially dangerous studs-up tackle by Victor Letsoalo on Samkelo Zwane was somehow missed by the referee and went unpunished.

On numerous occasions, Sekhukhune’s defence scrambled to clear the danger as Chiefs chased what would have been a deserved equaliser, but the ball just didn’t fall their way and ultimately, time ran out before they could salvage anything from the match.

Afterwards, a disappointed coach Zwane said, “I think we started brightly and looked like we were going to score first but, against the run of play on a counter attack, they managed to get a goal and we had to chase the game. They sat back from that moment and played to their strengths and we had to gamble by putting on more forwards in an effort to get an equalising goal. But, it wasn’t to be.”

The result leaves Amakhosi in 4^th position on the DStv Premiership log, with 41 points from their 26 matches.

Next up is a trip to Gqeberha for a tricky away fixture against Chippa United on Thursday 27 April, which is a public holiday.

Line-ups:

Chiefs XI: Petersen (1); Solomons (18), Dove (2), Ngezana(30), Frosler (39), Zwane (37) (Matlou (22) 86’), Alexander (17) (Shabalala (42) 62’), Maart (8), Dolly © (10)(Bimenyimana (28) 62’), Du Preez (9) (Mashiane (19) 79’), Basomboli (21)

Subs: Khune (32); Mathoho (3), Nj Ngcobo (27), Kwinika(4), Sekgota (14)

Coach: Arthur Zwane

Sekhukhune XI: Sangare (30); Mobbie (2), Ntiya-Ntiya (36), Cardoso © (4), Gyimah (39), Mokotjo (24), Mokwana (17)(Tshibwabwa (29) 69’), Ohizu (34) (Mabasa (9) 86’), Mncube (7) Mahlangu (35) 69’), Seabi (18), Letsoalo (21)(Mosiatlhaga (11) 65’)

Subs: Nsabata (1), Zulu (43), Mahashe (44), Mashikinya (6), Mokhabi (3), Vilakazi (50)

Coach: Brandon Truter