Kaizer Chiefs were unable to mark their 53rd birthday with a win, as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Sekhukhune United at the FNB Stadium on Saturday night.
Kaizer Chiefs gifting sekhukhune their first away win of the season.
Whoever called us gift of the givers didn’t lie pic.twitter.com/9WZgl0PIdC
— Hlulani (@Hlulani23) January 7, 2023
The Glamour Boys started the match with a young midfield, with Samkelo Zwane leading the charge.
The visitors, captained by former Amakhosi defender Daniel Cardoso, alongside another one-time Glamour Boys defender, Philani Zulu, were lively in the early exchanges and nearly went ahead on 15 minutes after goalkeeper Badre Ali Sangare parried Reeve Frosler’s stinging shot back into play but Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana lost his footing as he was about to tap-in. Keagan Dolly had a good chance on 20 minutes after he was sent through on goal in the box by Bimenyimana but he fired his volley just over the crossbar.
Bimenyimana had another opportunity to break the deadlock just after the half-hour mark from a curled cross by Frosler but he guided his header in the box wide at the back post. Nkosingiphile Ngcobo was the latest Amakhosi player to waste an opportunity just before the halftime break after he got past a defender with a lob in the box but he ballooned his volley over the top.
Chiefs started the second stanza on a back foot after a slip by Zitha Kwinika in the early exchanges led to Vusumuzi Mncube going clear on goal to give Sekhukhune the lead with a shot past goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune. Arthur Zwane responded by making an attacking change ten minutes from the interval, as Ashley Du Preez came on for Kamohelo Mahlatsi and just after the hour-mark Keagan Dolly was withdrawn and replaced by Mduduzi Shabalala for fresh legs.
Chiefs showed urgency, as they pressurised Sekhukhune, with Edmilson Dove going close to finding the equaliser in the last 18 minutes with a deflected half-volley that missed narrowly wide at the near post.
With time running out, Shabalala had a chance to level matters in the dying minutes after going through on goal in the box but his looping shot was parried away by Sangare.
Yusuf Maart also forced a save out of Sangare in stoppage with a grass-cutting shot as Amakhosi piled on the pressure but Babina Noko managed to hold on in the end to spoil the Glamour Boys’ birthday party. Sekhukhune United emerged victorious, with Brandon Truter winning his second consecutive game, while Kaizer Chiefs remain in fourth place on the table.
