AMAKHOSI RUN RIOT
FOUR-NIL: NURKOVIC SCORES TWICE AS CHIEFS HUMILIATE STELLENBOSCH
Log leaders now 10 points adrift of 2ndplaced Sundowns.
Yes. This was Kaizer Chiefs’ response to those who wondered if they could dust themselves off and get on with it after last weekend’s disastrous display in their unceremonious Telkom Knockout exit.
Ernst Middendorp’s side put up another gallant and faultless display to ease past Stellenbosch FC whom they beat 4-0 at Cape
Town stadium last night – coming from a deflating 2-1 defeat to Maritzburg United in the TKO.
Chiefs showed their intentions from the onset, and their incessant attacks were rewarded when Siyabonga Ngezana scored from a corner in the 11th minute.
But instead of his team-mates celebrating with him, the senior players like Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker scolded him for earning himself a yellow card by taking off his shirt when he celebrated the goal. The yellow meant he had to be extra careful for the rest of the game to not get booked again and be sent off.
In the 23rd minute Chiefs got their second when Samir Nurkovic headed in from Lebogang
Manyama’s corner to make it 2-0. And seeing that their strategy to sit back and try to absorb pressure was not working out, Stellies tried to change as they looked to go forward more but it didn’t work out.
Their attacks didn’t come to any fruition and they were restricted to taking shots from range as Amakhosi were better organised at the back – with Ngezana partnering Daniel Cardoso at centre back and Yagan Sasman moved to his rightful place at left back.
Steve Barker made two changes at the start of the second half with Jarrid Moroole taken off for Diego Franco and Lelethu Skelem taking Deono van Rooyen’s place. The changes seemed to work as they managed to stop Chiefs easily sailing through to their box and also made some inroads in attack.
But as they looked to be good going forward, they were left exposed at the back and Nurkovic punished them as he scored Amakhosi’s third with just a little over 15 minutes to the end. Second half substitute Dumisani Zuma scored their fourth right at the death.
The win saw Amakhosi open a 10-point gap over Mamelodi Sundowns who are second on the Absa Premiership standings.
Sundowns, however, have a game in hand.
Other results last night: Chippa United 3 Black Leopards 0; Maritzburg United 0 SuperSport United 2; Bloemfontein Celtic 0 Cape Town City 0; Baroka FC 0 Arrows 1.