Chippa add misery to Chiefs, Komphela season

CHIPPA United came from a goal down to beat Kaizer Chiefs 3-1 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth yesterday and heap more pressure on beleaguered Steve Komphela as his club continued their horror slump.

Lerato Manzini scored a brace and Tshwarelo Bereng got the other as the home side turned around the half-time deficit to hand Amakhosi and their coach a potential mortal blow. Komphela had to face a gauntlet of objects and abuse again from angry fans as he exited the field.

Siphiwe Tshabalala had Chiefs ahead after just 15 minutes but they were mostly passengers in the second half as Chippa ended their own slump in great fashion with the first win since September.

Manzini, restored to the starting lineup, should have had a hat-trick after missing a sitter in stoppage time.

Diamond Thopola delivered the crosses that saw Chippa score twice in the space of two minutes. His cross in the 71st minute was headed home by Manzini and then he set up Bereng at the back post for the second within 60 seconds.

The third goal was set up for Manzini by the unselfish Buyani Sali in the 86th minute.

Chippa came with a plan to dominate the midfield but when Strydom Wambi left the field after eight minutes with a hamstring pull, coach Dan Malesela had to change tactics and lost a little of the pressing that had Chiefs under early pressure.

Malesela has also repeatedly bemoaned costly mistakes and there was again more reason for frustration when a back pass from Bongani Kama was turned into a goal in the 15th minute.

Chippa skipper James Okwuosa had a chance to equalise from a corner after 27 minutes, emerging unmarked at the back post but put his header wide.

Substitute Bereng fired a stinging shot goalwards some four minutes after that but Nhlanhla Khuzwayo, in the Chiefs goal for the injured Itumeleng Khune, parried the effort away.

Chiefs had a penalty claim on the stroke of half time when Willard Katsande went tumbling down in the Chippa area but referee Victor Hlungwani booked him for simulation, meaning the Zimbabwe international and Chiefs captain is suspended for the next match against Bloemfontein Celtic on December 14.

Komphela, who now faces the sack, said simply after the match: “We must take this on the chin.”