Mixed fortunes for Glamour Boys

FRIENDLIES: CHIEFS UNABLE TO BUILD ON DOWNS WIN

Sibongiseni Gumbi

Kaizer Chiefs may have gone from an impressive Shell Helix Ultra Cup win over Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday to a defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic in the Macufe Cup yesterday but the games definitely left coach Ernst Middendorp with a good headache.

Chiefs put on a clinical display with Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro finding the form that saw them form a deadly partnership which gave defenders nightmares at Sundowns a few seasons ago. Castro was the Man-of-the-Match on Saturday after scoring a hattrick on which Billiat had a hand in all the goals – adding the fourth in a 4-2 win.

Middendorp was happy with the display and said it was good to keep the team’s fluidity going ahead of a testing match at the weekend. The Glamour Boys travel to Cape Town for a Telkom Knockout match against Cape Town City on Saturday afternoon.

“It was a nice afternoon with over 90 minutes of competitive football,” said Midendorp after the match. “We were very clinical in the first half knowing of course that it would be a different game to manage in the second half – that was clear for me.

“But in the end, it was the result of 90 minutes. We were definitely prepared for it knowing that it was not only about today but we have another game tomorrow (Macufe Cup yesterday).

“In the end I am happy to have seen some players like Philani Zulu, Kabelo (Mahlasela) and Kgotso (Moleko) in the second half. Njabulo Blom as well, who is not a regular but performed in very productive way at right back,” he added.

“The competition gave both teams a chance to have a competitive game during the Fifa break which came just after another additional week off.

“This is something good ahead of the upcoming games,” said Middendorp.

Yesterday however, Amakhosi could not replicate the same performance but perhaps it was due to the fact that they started with players who have not had much game time in recent months.

Celtic took the lead in the first half through Thato Lingwati. Chiefs tried to get back into the game with the likes of Siphelele Ntshangase, Dumisani Zuma and Kabelo Mahlasela proving their capabilities up front but found Sipho Chaine in the Celtic goal in top form.

Tumisho Mogakwe capitalised on Bruce Bvuma’s error-strewn display to make it 2-0. Bvuma let a ball – which looked to be an easy catch – bounce off his chest and into Mogakwe path and he made no mistake.