Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on Mar 05, 2024.
Kaizer Chiefs (1) 1
(Duba 11’)
Lamontville Golden Arrows (0) 0
FNB stadium, Nasrec
A brilliant first senior career goal by 19-year-old Wandile Duba earned Kaizer Chiefs a well-deserved 1-0 win over Lamontville Golden Arrows in an entertaining DStv Premiership encounter at FNB stadium on Tuesday evening.
The teenager struck early in the match and it was enough to see Amakhosi comfortably home and give them a major confidence boost ahead of their meeting with eternal rivals, Orlando Pirates, in Saturday’s Soweto Derby.
After the Amakhosi Faithful impeccably observed a moment of silence in honour of former Chiefs defender, Siphiwe Mkhonza, who sadly passed away earlier in the day, the game began at a brisk pace, with both teams looking to get the ball forward at the earliest opportunity.
Play ebbed from end to end, with the Glamour Boys holding the upper hand in possession and threat. Duba’s willingness to run into space caused constant problems for the Arrows defence, leaving room for Pule Mmodi to drift infield and cause confusion for the opposition.
Amakhosi’s first goal of 2024 came in the 11th minute, and it was worth waiting for. Mmodi’s mazy run from right to left saw him lose the ball and win it back immediately in a central position. He laid it off to Duba, who had intelligently pulled off to the left corner of the penalty area and in one agile move, the teenager feinted to wrongfoot his marker and then curled the ball sublimely into the far top corner of flatfooted goalkeeper, Sifiso Mlungwana’s goal.
The spectacular effort sent confidence coursing through the team and they passed the ball around with authority, dragging Abafana Bes’thende all over the park as they chased shadows in a vain attempt to gain possession.
It was only the resolute defending of the visitors that kept Chiefs from adding to their lead before halftime and they were relieved to go into the break only trailing by one.
Amakhosi were fortunate to stay ahead just after the restart, as Arrows came out strongly. Knox Mutizwa thought he had scored in the 46th minute but was denied by the offside flag and then a minute later he somehow managed to blast the ball over the bar with only Bruce Bvuma to beat. Bvuma did, however, show why he now has six clean sheets in his last seven games when he saved smartly from Zambian substitute, Moyela Libamba in the 66th minute, and again from a Nhlanhla Zwane effort late on.
Coach Cavin Johnson made a double substitution midway through the second half, bringing on Jasond Gonzalez and Ashely Du Preez, and the two almost combined immediately as Du Preez crossed from the right for the big Colombian striker, who was just beaten to the ball by Mlungwana at full stretch.
Another Chiefs substitute, Dillan Solomons also came close to putting Gonzalez through in the dying minutes but his pass was cut out by a last ditch clearance by Gladwin Shitolo.
The performance as much as the result will please the Amakhosi coaching staff going into the weekend’s massive clash. They sit in 6th place on the log but have drawn level with Pirates on 29 points and equal on goal difference, setting a perfect stage for an epic occasion.
Line-ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma (44), Hlanti (23), Nj Ngcobo (27), Kwinika (4), Msimango (25), Mthethwa (5), Maart © (8), Dolly (10) (Nk Ngcobo (12) 71’), Mmodi (13) (Solomons (18) 78’), Duba (36) (Gonzalez (14) 57’), Saile Basomboli (21) (Du Preez (9) 57’)
Subs not used: Petersen (1); Fleurs (26), Mashiane (19), Castillo (17),
Vilakazi (28)
Coach: Cavin Johnson
Lamontville Golden Arrows: Mlungwana (36), Shitolo © (5), Cele(30), Mwengani (13), Dlamini (24), van Rooi (14) (Sibiya (11) 78’), Mthanti (38) (Ncube (31) 64’), Zwane (41), Lukhele (16) (Mhlongo (17) 45’), Sibeko (19) (Libamba (20) 45’), Mutizwa (18) (Tlolane (6) 78’)
Subs not used: Kayode (28), Cross (39), Gumbi (2), Hlatshwayo (22)
Coach: Mabhudi Khenyeza
