CHIEFS ON SONG
DOWN PITIFUL TTM TO STAY ON A WINNING ROLL Youngsters shine again as Gavin Hunt’s men clamber their way further up the table.
Kaizer Chiefs’ resurgence continued yesterday as they picked up a third DStv Premiership win in a row, and their most convincing yet, taking down a pitiful Tshakhuma FC 3-0 at the FNB Stadium.
Youngsters Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Happy Mashiane were again on the scoresheet, as they were against Cape Town City on the weekend, with Mashiane also coming off the bench to set up Lebogang Manyama with Amakhosi’s second goal.
Hunt picked Leonard Castro and Samir Nurkovic together in his starting line-up for the first time this season, and the former had the first chance of the game, his header looping onto the roof of the net.
It was fine work from Nurkovic that helped put Amakhosi in the lead in the 19th minute, the Serbian again showing his importance to the team as he controlled a throw-in, held off his man and lifted the ball into the advancing Ngcobo’s path.
There was still plenty for the young Chiefs midfielder to do, however, and he did it brilliantly, flicking the ball over his marker and lashing a volley past Washington Arubi.
TTM coach Joel Masutha did make a change before the break, taking off a midfielder in Meshack Maphangule and bringing on Aluwani Nedzamba to bolster his attack.
Nedzamba and TTM did pose more of a threat to Chiefs after the break, with Agay and Cardoso both making desperate last-ditch tackles to keep Chiefs in the lead.
Amakhosi also seemed to be dealt a major blow when Ngcobo was forced off with a thigh injury, Happy Mashiane taking his place.
Mashiane, however, was a key reason Chiefs were able to effectively kill off the game, incredibly combining with another substitute, Manyama, who was also only on the pitch because of an injury.
Hunt had thrown on youngster Lebohang Lesako to replace Castro, but he went down almost immediately with an injury, so Hunt called on Manyama instead.
And the Amakhosi striker netted with his first touch, arriving at the back post to fire home sweetly after an equally sublime Mashiane cross.
TTM’s misery was complete when Alfred Ndengane was given a red card after picking up a second yellow for a foul on Nurkovic.
There was still time for Manyama to return the compliment to Mashiane, meanwhile, as his pass was rifled into the top corner by the 23 year-old.
The only stain on Chiefs’ evening came as Bernard Parker sent off for a second yellow late in stoppage time.
In yesterday’s other match, leaders Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a goalless draw by Bloemfontein Celtic in a game marred by an awful offside decision by one of the assistant referees that denied a clear goal.