Chiefs KO’d out of Carling
● Kaizer Chiefs fans reacted with violence when their club was knocked out by AmaZulu in the Premier Soccer League’s new Carling Knockout Cup at the FNB Stadium yesterday, with coach Molefi Ntseki escorted out of the field.
Chiefs followed Mamelodi Sundowns as one of the giants to exit the competition in the first round.
Usuthu defender Taariq Fielies scored the winner two minutes from time, a goal that extended Amakhosi’s silverware drought to an unprecedented eight years. Fielies’ goal came when the game looked set to go to extra-time, as both sides failed to create scoring chances.
Chiefs supporters started throwing missiles towards their bench minutes before full-time. Ntseki had to be escorted by private security personnel and the police after the match, and couldn’t do his postmatch interview for television cameras.
Strangely, Chiefs midfielder Keegan Dolly was voted by the fans as man of the match despite doing nothing impressive before he was substituted just before AmaZulu scored.
The defeat was of Chiefs’ own making. They never took advantage of playing at home and struggled to create openings to hurt Usuthu.
The first half was a ding-dong affair, with neither team really stamping their authority. But Dolly should at least have forced a save out of AmaZulu keeper Veli Mothwa when he was put through but shot wide midway through the half.
Ntseki was forced to reshuffle his defence when leftback Edmilson Dove suffered an injury just before the end of the first half. Zitha Kwinika was introduced but it was Reeve Frosler who shifted from the right wing to fill Dove’s position.
With Chiefs regular goalkeeper Brandon Petersen still injured, veteran gloveman and skipper Itumeleng Khune started in goal but had little to do as AmaZulu hardly managed to break the Chiefs defence in the first half.
Ntseki tried to change things when he introduced Colombian striker Jasond Gonzalez for an ineffective Ranga Chivaviro. Yusuf Maart, who also had a quiet day in Amakhosi’s engine room, made way for Venezuelan Edson Castilo, whose long journey from representing his country made it impossible for him to start.
But the player Chiefs really missed was their attacker, Ashley du Preez, who usually creates goal-scoring opportunities for Chiefs. His absence saw Ntseki’s side struggling to make inroads into Usuthu’s area.
AmaZulu joined TS Galaxy, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC in the last eight. The draw for the last eight will be done today after the SuperSport United game against Polokwane City at the TUT Stadium today.