Chiefs blow chance to extend lead
Draw with Stellies delay march to title
Kaizer Chiefs blew an opportunity to go eight points clear at the top of the Absa Premiership when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Stellenbosch at Orlando Stadium last night.
With second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns in action tonight against Golden Arrows at Dobsonville Stadium, the Brazilians can reduce the gap to three points should they win.
A victory for Amakhosi last night would have given them some breathing space at the top of the table with their next match against Sundowns at the same venue on Thursday.
Chiefs came into this match on the back of a 1-3 defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic and were desperate to get back to winning ways.
Coach Ernst Middendorp made several changes, surprisingly leaving out the in-form Samir Nurkovic, while Siphelele Ntshangase and Siyabonga Ngezana earned rare starts.
Nurkovic came in later, replacing Leonardo Castro who went out with a knee injury. Nurkovic however, will miss the Sundowns fixture after he got his fourth booking late in the match, and with Castro limping off early, it remains to be seen who will Middendorp field in a match billed as a title decider.
Amakhosi took control of the encounter from the onset and were more effective but Stellenbosch defended well earlier on. Stellies’ game plan was to sit back and allow Chiefs to have the ball while they waited for a counter-attack.
That worked for them in the opening half, they absorbed pressure from Chiefs who enjoyed the ball possession but could not hurt them.
Against the run of play, Ashley du Preez was released down the flank and delivered a cross into the box with Lelethu Skelem getting in front of Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya to direct the ball into the far corner with a glancing header just after the half-hour mark.
Stellenbosch continued to frustrate Chiefs in the second half as they allowed them to have the ball but in areas where they would not be hurt.
Chiefs had to wait until the 65th minute to find the equaliser, with Lazalous Kambole netting his first goal for the club to make it 1-1.