Vintage Chiefs slay Arrows
Kaizer Chiefs looked like the cup kings of old with a comprehensive second-half performance as they eliminated Lamontville Golden Arrows 3-0 in the first round of the Nedbank Cup at Soccer City on Sunday.
Ryan Moon, Bernard Parker and Joseph Molangoane each scored a goal after half-time as Itumeleng Khune made superb saves to win the man of the match award.
For coach Steve Komphela the result will come as a relief as he seeks his first trophy with Chiefs and the cup offers him his best opportunity to finally break his duck in his third, and potentially last, season at Chiefs.
Moon’s quick thinking resulted in him deflecting a powerful cross from Willard Katsande into the net from close range for the opening goal in the 53rd minute.
It kept up a recent sequence of goals for the young striker, now establishing himself in the starting line-up at the club.
Parker, on for his first appearance of the year, went around the goalkeeper to double the score in the 81st minute – with Katsande again the provider — and Molangoane finished it off three minutes later after another returnee, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, set up the opportunity with his run down the wing.
Molangoane might have had a fourth but squandered from close range at full-time.
However, despite the emphatic scoreline, Arrows were not without their chances as Khune made a series of stunning stops, first to deny Jabulani Ndwandwe and then Knox Mutizwa, who shot for goals from point-blank range.
Arrows suffered an early blow when Kudakwashe Mahachi had to go off early with an ankle injury after landing badly when he came close to scoring on the break, but fluffed his shot.
By then Arrows had also seen debutant Siboniso Conco go wide after the visitors unlocked the Chiefs defence.
There were also two penalties, which both looked legitimate, turned down for both sides by referee Thando Ndzandzeka — again bringing into question of what is a handball and what is not.
But for Chiefs it was a good day and for Komphela a step closer to elusive silverware.
In the other tie of the day Bloemfontein Celtic beat Supersport United 5-4 on penalties at the Dr Molemela Stadium.
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