Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on Sep 29, 2024.
Kaizer Chiefs (1) 1
(Chivaviro 9’)
Mamelodi Sundowns (2) 2
Ribeiro 31’, Rayners 37’)
FNB stadium, Johannesburg
2024/25 Betway Premiership
Three touch-tight calls proved fatal for Kaizer Chiefs as they went down 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns in a thrilling Betway Premiership encounter at a chock-full FNB stadium on Saturday.
Ranga Chivaviro fired Chiefs into a 9th minute lead before Masandwana bounced back through Lucas Ribeiro in the 31st minute and Iqraam Rayners six minutes later to turn the match in the visitors’ favour.
The game kicked off 30 minutes later than scheduled as the crowd took time to enter the stadium. It turned out to be a record crowd for a Chiefs v Sundowns clash, in excess of 83 000, and they were treated to a memorable experience.
Both teams started the match somewhat cautiously, feeling each other out like two heavyweight boxers in the first round of a bout.
Chiefs ruthlessly exposed Sundowns’ high defensive line in the 9th minute when Reeve Frosler played Chivaviro in behind. The big man used his superior strength to shrug off the attention of Mosa Lebusa before tucking the ball past Ronwen Williams to give Amakhosi a deserved lead.
The home team were tactically impeccable for the opening half-hour and might well have doubled their lead after 29 minutes as Wandile Duba produced a magical piece of skill to backheel the ball into space for Mududuzi Shabalala to run onto with an open path to goal. Though he appeared to be in his own half when Duba outrageously put him through, the assistant referee raised his flag to call offside.
Barely two minutes later, Sundowns were level after Chiefs failed to fully clear their lines. A loose ball fell to Tashreeq Matthews, who found Ribeiro in space and the Brazilian finished well to level the scores.
A second close call by the assistant referee went in favour of the visitors in the 37th minute when a long ball over the top released Ribeiro, who looked suspiciously offside. However, play was allowed to continue and the Brazilian squared the ball to Rayners and he made no mistake from 10 yards out to give Sundowns a 2-1 lead going into half-time.
Amakhosi came out for the second period and signalled their intent very early, as CHivaviro in particular, caused concern in the Sundowns rear guard. Twice he found space but shot wide from tight angles.
On 63 minutes, Downs goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams needed to be at his best to tip Edson Castillo’s header from a Gaston Sirno free kick over the crossbar. He was called into action again four minutes later, saving at the feet of substitute, Ashley Du Preez and then somehow the Sundowns defence managed to block Chivaviro’s shot as the ball skewed loose. Castillo went close again n the 78th minute, shooting narrowly wide from a Frosler cut-back.
The Venezuelan almost found the net three minutes later, arriving late to send an improvised diving header goalward only to be foiled once again by the quick reflexes of Williams, and Khusile Mudau made a last-ditch block to deny Du Preez effort as well two minutes from regulation time.
Amakhosi thought they had secured the equaliser in stoppage time when Inacio Miguel had the ball in the net but for the third time, a questionable offside call denied the home side a deserved share of the spoils.
Sadly, it was not to be and Chiefs succumbed to their first defeat of the season. However, the effort of the players and the manner in which they bossed the defending champions for large swathes of the match will give the Amakhosi Faithful confidence that they are on the right path back to the summit of domestic football.
Line-ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: Ntwari (30), Frosler (39), Miguel (84), Dortley (14), Cross (48), Castillo (17), Maart ©(8) (Mmodi (13) 74’), Shabalala (42) (Vilakazi (28) 64’), Sirino (10) (Blom (6) 74’) , Chivaviro (7) (Basomboli Saile (21) 78’), Duba (36) (Du Preez (9) 64’)
Subs not used: Bvuma (44), Msimango (25), Mashiane (19), Zwane (37)
Coach: Nasreddine Nabi
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams (30); Lebusa (5), Kekana (20), Coetzee (40), Morena (27) (Mkhulise (21) 74’), Tiwane (31) (Mudau (25) 74’), Zwane © (18) (Modiba (6) 60’), Allende (11), Ribeiro Costa (10) (Shalulile (38) 60’), Matthews (17), Rayners (13) (
Subs not used: D. Onyango (1); Maboe (39), Kodisang (19), Maseko (33)
Coach: Manqoba Mngqithi
