Richards Bay pile the misery on goal-shy Chiefs
KAIZER Chiefs’ season is fast slipping from poor to utterly dreadful, after they went down 1-0 to struggling Richards Bay on Sunday in a DStv Premiership tie at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi.
Richards Bay captain Simphiwe Mcineka headed in the winning goal in the 66th minute, to give the KZN side a huge three points in their bid to avoid relegation. Amakhosi continue to fire blanks in attack, with this the seventh game in 2024 that Chiefs have failed to score a single goal.
Cavin Johnson’s side now face a very real danger of not even qualifying for next season’s MTN8, sitting right now in tenth position in the table. Vusumuzi Vilakazi’s Richards Bay, meanwhile, are now eight points ahead of bottom side Cape Town Spurts, with the two set to meet in the Mother City on Friday.
Chiefs were the brighter side from the off, but still failed to create too many presentable opportunities. Mduduzi Shabalala got just his sixth league start of the season and the 20 year-old had the first real chance in the 16th minute, running through onto Edmilson Dove’s pass, but failing to take the ball around Richards Bay goalkeeper Salim Magoola.
In the 28th minute, Ashley Du Preez played an excellent ball to Christian Saile in space inside the penalty area, but his first time shot didn’t pack much of a punch and was easily gathered by Magoola.
In the last few minutes of the half, Siyethemba Sithebe lifted a delicate pass over the Richards Bay defence for Du Preez, but he couldn’t make proper contact and Magoola was there again.
Richard Bay’s Ugandan goalkeeper had a real scare four minutes into the second half, as he kicked a clearance straight to Du Preez, but Nkosikhona Ndaba got back to make a vital challenge.
Richards Bay started to gain some momentum as the half wore on. One corner caused panic in the Amakhosi penalty area, but after a goalmouth scramble, they hacked the ball clear. Ntsako Makhubela then crossed for Malawian striker Khuda Muyaba who flashed wide of the near post, but the home side soon had the lead. Skipper on the mark
Captain Mcineka had an excellent game at the back and here he led from the front, heading in Barns’ corner in the 66th minute. Almost immediately, Du Preez struck the woodwork for Chiefs, while in the 74th minute, the same player’s deflected shot looked certain to loop into the back of the net, until Magoola made a brilliant save.