Chiefs pull off win in ‘a grind’ contest
KAIZER Chiefs climbed out of the mental morass of cup final defeat in midweek to scramble a second-half winner and beat table-topping Bidvest Wits 2-1 to end the year on a bright note.
Lorenzo Gordinho forced the ball over the line after a goalkeeping lapse by Moeneeb Josephs to ensure the victory with 12 minutes left of a bruising encounter as Chiefs hosted their league game more than 1 000km from their home base.
They had taken the lead from a penalty after 18 minutes but were caught by a sucker punch from The Students before the break to see the sides level at half time.
While Gavin Hunt suggested a refereeing conspiracy, Chiefs coach Steve Komphela more accurately described the game as “a grind” with little quarter given on either side. It left bodies battered and bruised.
There will be some argument about whether Gordinho was offside for the winner but Wits must share the blame, as well as for giving away the first-half penalty.
Josephs tried to push a corner over his own crossbar but did not get enough power on the ball and it looped down for the rookie defender to sweep home.
Victory for Chiefs means they are now five points off the pace and very much still in the title race while Wits could find themselves usurped at the top if Mamelodi Sundowns beat Orlando Pirates today.
There was an early chance for Siphiwe Tshabalala when Wits were caught napping on the left side of defence but cover came quickly before he could get a shot in on goal.
But it was in the same area that Onismor Bhasera recklessly lunged into a tackle on Camaldien Abraw and gave away the penalty that led to the opening goal in the 18th minute.
A clever ball into the area from Gordinho saw Abraw round Josephs but go wide. As he attempted to turn around on goal, Bhasera came lunging in with a wild challenge that was an obvious penalty.
After missing twice from the spot against Sundowns in Wednesday’s Telkom Knockout final, Chiefs entrusted Willard Katsande with the duties and he hammered home forcefully into the roof of the net.
It could have been 2-0 to Chiefs before the half-hour mark as Siboniso Gaxa led a quick counterattack that put George Lebese in on goal but his attempt to chip past Josephs went sailing over the top of the goal.
Wits were right back in it after 33 minutes with an old routine that Ruud Krol first introduced when he was coaching Orlando Pirates. With offside not an issue, Daine Klate stood right on the edge of the Chiefs box as Josephs banged a goal kick upfield, over the top of the Chiefs defence and with time for Klate to score past a bemused Reyaad Pieterse, one of four changes Chiefs made from their cup final lineup.
Bernard Parker, also brought back by Steve Komphela, had to go before half time with a knee injury as the intensity of the tackling mirrored the competitiveness of the encounter.
The match was the first of three “home” matches that Chiefs have switched to Cape Town after signing a lucrative deal with the local council. About 20 000 fans eventually watched the game. Chiefs will be back again in the Mother City next month to host Platinum Stars.