Another minnow downs Chiefs
SUCKER PUNCH: RICHARDS BAY GRAB INJURY-TIME WINNER
It’s happened again! Kaizer Chiefs have been knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by a lower division side.
GladAfrica Championship campaigners Richards Bay hit them with a sucker punch and beat them 2-1 at FNB Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Amakhosi had started well, and made their intentions clear from the first whistle, camping in Richards Bay’s half for the bulk of the first half.
They couldn’t however, create any clear scoring chances with the Rich Boys standing firm at the back.
And just as such games go most of the time, the Rich Boys took the lead against the run of play when in the 29th minute Khanyisa Mayo sent in an inviting cross from a corner which Thabani Dube scored.
Mayo was at it again in the 37th minute, swinging in a telling ball from a corner again, only this time he was trying to score directly with his kick and Daniel Akpeyi managed to push it away.
Amakhosi thought they had a dream start to the second half when Samir Nurkovic had the ball in the back of the net in the 49th minute but he was ruled to have been offside.
Nurkovic – who was a constant nuisance to the visitors’ defence – had his header saved off the line by Richards Bay keeper, Malcolm Jacobs.
Things got worse for the Naturena-based side when Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya earned his second booking for an unnecessary foul, and was sent off.
The Rich Boys continued to be a threat on the counter to Chiefs and came close again in the 69th minute with Thabo Maphakisa sent in an inviting cross but Somila Nsimdwada misread it and it went sailing past.
Chiefs’ persistent attacking bore fruit in the 76th minute when Leonardo Castro showed commitment, and kicked the ball from a grounded position to beat Jacobs for the equaliser.
Lebogang Manyama should have given the home side the lead in the 80th minute, but he miscued his shot after being nicely set up by Castro inside the box.
Castro also had a chance with a header from Dumisani Zuma’s floated ball.
The Rich Boys hit Amakhosi with a sucker punch when Siyabonga Vilane score a minute into the referee’s optional time.