Chiefs over the Moon
MATCH-WINNER: CASTRO SHATTERS BAROKA’S HOPES
New signing’s goal sends Komphela’s men into third place.
Kaizer Chiefs flipped the script on Baroka FC as they beat their long-time nemesis 2-1 in an Absa Premiership match at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane yesterday afternoon. Ryan Moon and debutant Leonardo Castro scored for Amakhosi after Lucky Nguzana had put the home side ahead.
It looked as if Baroka would repeat what they have always done against Chiefs when they scored first, but the Soweto giants managed to end the hoodoo – coming from behind to snatch the three points which moved them up to third, five points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Bakgaga had the upper hand in the opening exchanges but were not making it count as they could not breach Chiefs’ defence.
Baroka however finally got it right in the 31st minute when Nguzana’s quick movement saw him slot home after the ball had rebounded off the upright from So’s shot which had Itumeleng Khune beaten.
Kgoloko Thobejane’s side could have increased their lead but they fluffed their chances. They were made to regret it when Chiefs found the equaliser at the start of the second half as Ryan Moon headed home from Siphiwe Tshabalala’s cross.
The goal spurred Steve Komphela’s team on and they started attacking with some purpose.
Seeing his attack was not gaining any ground early in the second half, Thobejane took Robin Ngalande off and replaced him with Gift Mothupa who was unlucky to have a penalty appeal denied by the referee after he looked to have been fouled inside the box by Willard Katsande.
Komphela also made changes, taking Tshabalala and Gustavo Paez off, with their places taken by Siphelele Ntshangase and Dumisani Zuma. Castro was also handed his debut 20 minutes from the end.
Joseph Molangoane dampened things a little for Chiefs after they looked to have found some rhythm when he was red-carded after deliberately elbowing Khutso Mohwatseleng.
The Glamour Boys however gave as much as they got even with a man short, and could have scored more had Katsande and Castro been lucky with their efforts.
Castro finally found the net with a splendid volley which Virgil Fries could only watch as it sailed over him.
Roger de Sa always knew his relegation-threatened Platinum Stars stood very little chance of getting anything against Absa Premiership pacesetters Mamelodi Sundowns.
Pitso Mosimane’s side was unforgiving when they thumped Stars 3-0 at the Loftus Versfeld over the weekend to open a fourpoint gap over Benni McCarthy’s chasing Cape Town City.
“They were all-round better than us, we can’t argue with that,” said De Sa.
“Overall it was disappointing for us but we’ve got to be realistic when we look at their bench and whoever comes off the grandstand, it’s scary. We’ve got to be realistic and say it would’ve taken something special to get something out of the game and it didn’t go away, it went as expected,” he added.
A three-game winless run leaves Dikwena at the foot of the log. However, De Sa is somewhat pleased that Stars managed to reach their target of 15 points in the halfway stage.
“We managed to achieve that and we are trying to achieve another 15 points in the second round, there is no other way,” said the former Orlando Pirates coach.
Masandawana had the game, wrapped up at half-time following two Khama Billiat freekicks and a gorgeous Sibusiso Vilakazi solo goal. The Brazilians could have added more goals to their tally of 31 goals this season.
However, Mosimane decided against rubbing more salt to the wound as his team took the foot off the pedal in the second half.
“What caused that is because we have been leaking goals a bit so we needed to get a clean sheet. We needed to manage the game a little bit. We’ve got our three goals in the first half, we’ve done the job so let’s manage the game,” he said.
Mosimane handed new recruits Jeremy Brockie, Aubrey Ngoma and Gaston Sirino their debuts off the bench. It was the Uruguayan midfielder who set the scene alight and made an immediate imprint among the Sundowns faithful.
“I know what he is capable of doing, that’s why we brought him here,” said Mosimane.