AmaZulu (0) 1
(Ighodaro 47’)

Kaizer Chiefs (3) 3
(Chivaviro 12’, Sirino 14’, Miguel 23’)

Moses Mabhida stadium, Durban
2024/25 Betway Premiership

A scintillating first half display saw Kaizer Chiefs to a 3-1 victory over AmaZulu in an entertaining Betway Premiership encounter at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on Wednesday evening.

Goals from Ranga Chivaviro, Gaston Sirino and Man-of-the Match, Inacio Miguel gave Amakhosi what turned out to be an unassailable lead within the opening 23 minutes, before a consolation goal early in the second half from Etiosa Ighodaro completed the scoring.

Amakhosi burst onto the front foot from the first whistle and had the Usuthu defence under pressure right from the off. The first warning came after only four minutes, as Mduduzi Shabalala flighted a long ball to Gasto Sirino in acres of space. However, the Uruguayan failed to hit the target with is shot.

The inevitable goal came in the 12^th minute when Miguel won the ball high up the pitch and slipped Chivaviro in behind the AmaZulu defence. The burly striker’s powerful strike was parried back into his path By Olwthu Mzimela and he made no mistake from the rebound to give Chiefs a deserved 1-0 lead.

The fans had barely finished celebrating before it was 2-0 less than two minutes later. Sirino picked the ball up just inside the opposition half and ran menacingly towards goal. As Usuthu defender, Abubaker Mobaru, backed off, he steadied himself and unleashed a brilliant 20 yard drive that flew past Mzimela before he could react.

It was almost 3-0 moments later when Shabalala was brought down when he broke through the shell-shocked AmaZulu defence but as the referee was about to pint to award a clear penalty, his assistant raised his flag to indicate that Shabalala had been fractionally offside.

The third goal did come, arriving in the 23^rd minute, courtesy of a looping header by Miguel from a corner, moments after he had been booked for a tussle with Ethan Brooks in the lead-up to the set piece.

AmaZulu managed to stem the tide but were unable to make any impact going forward, as Amakhosi’s well-marshalled defence caught AmaZulu offside numerous times.

Chiefs lifted the tempo as the half drew to a close and Sirino ghosted into the box late to meet Wandile Duba’s cross with a firm header that was saved by Mzimela.

The hists were relieved to hear the half-time whistle and only go in three down.

The home side surprisingly pulled a goal back two minutes into the second half when a misplaced pass wrongfooted the Amakhosi defence and Ighodaro pounced to slip the ball past Fiacre Ntwari.

Chiefs came uncomfortably close to conceding a second four minutes later when Tshepang Moremi struck the crossbar and Rushwen Dortley showed outstanding awareness to clear the ball off the line as Ighodaro was about to score.

As AmaZulu chased the game, Chiefs sat back and tried to hit them on the break, and both teams might have added to their tallies had their final passes been more accurate. Amakhosi had one last scare nine minutes from the end when Ighodaro saw a header come back off the upright but the emphatic manner in which Amakhosi established a big lead proved too big for AmaZulu to counter.

It is still early, yet the victory maintains Chiefs’ perfect start to the season and will give their loyal fans cause for optimism when they host Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB stadium on Saturday.

Line-ups:

Kaizer Chiefs: Ntwari (30), Frosler (39), Miguel (84), Dortley (14), Cross (48), Maart (8), Blom (6) (Castillo (17) 52’), Shabalala (42) (Basomboli Saile (21) 70’), Sirino (10) (Msimango (25) 77’), Chivaviro (7) (Du Preez (9) 70’), Duba (36) (Vilakazi (28) 52’)

Subs not used: Bvuma (44), Mashiane (19), Mmodi (13), Zwane (37)

Coach: Nasreddine Nabi

AmaZulu: Mzimela (1), Mobara (2) (Sithole (37) 88’), Hanamub (14), Fielies (12), Gumede (17),  Motshwari (8) (Sikhakhane (5) 88’), Brooks (18) (Human (21) 72’), Ngema (10), Moremi (19) (Dion (33) 66’), Ighodaro (9), Mbanjwa (15) Haba (29) 88’)

Subs not used: Mothwa (44), Mphahlele (23), Mngonyama (45), Ndlovu (28)

Coach: Pablo Franco