Supersport cruise as Amakhosi fold again
SO MUCH for flair! Did anyone see any of this rare commodity from Kaizer Chiefs in their Absa Premiership game, which they lost 2-1 to SuperSport United here last night? The frustrated fans clearly didn’t. They expressed their frustration by pelting the coaching staff with missiles at the end of yet another deflating defeat for Amakhosi.
In fairness, the Chiefs were neither outclassed nor completely outthought and they could have walked away with a point, with a bit of luck.
S’thembiso Ncgobo was terribly unlucky when he thundered a shot against the crossbar from close range in the 77th minute, and Siphiwe Tshabalala and Willard Katsande should have done better.
By losing this game, the current crop of Chiefs players rewrote the club’s history for the worse, setting a new record of five successive losses, if we include the Nedbank Cup match.
Credit to United, whose goals from Ashley Hartog and a beaut from Kermit Erasmus in each half helped move United to second on the log table.
Yes, second spot with 48 points, one adrift of league leaders Orlando Pirates, who are on 49 on an equal number of games (27).
While victory went a long way towards rekindling league title ambitions for the Tshwane side, defeat extinguished whatever league championship aspirations Amakhosi harboured.
It all looked gloomy for the home side when Hartog tapped in the opener for United in the 38th minute, profiting from Thabo September’s ambitious cross.
United have often had the edge on Chiefs, winning four and drawing one of their last eight league encounters.
Just when Amakhosi were staging a comeback, with an improved second half display, Erasmus reminded many of his quality with an exquisite pile driver on the hour mark.
Erasmus spotted Itumeleng Khune off his line and took a step, before ramming in a contender for goal of the season.
Lehlohonolo Majoro, whose steady improvement has been overshadowed by a series of poor results, pulled one back when he finished off a rebound midway through the second half.
But the equaliser never came, as Chiefs slid deeper into mediocrity with yet another defeat for interim coaches Doctor Khumalo and Ace Khuse.
The joint-coaches had to avoid missiles from irate fans as they walked off the pitch at full-time.
With three tough midfielders, United worked hard, grinding out an away win under wet conditions here.
Elsewhere last night, Amazulu’s fine form came to a crashing halt when they were beaten 2-1 by the inconsistent Platinum Stars at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Despite the setback, Usuthu remain firm favourites to finish within the top eight bracket in the PSL log.
ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Everton 4, Fulham 0; Stoke 1, Arsenal 1; Wigan 4, Newcastle 0; West Brom 0, Aston Villa 0; Swansea 4, Wolverhampton 4; Liverpool 3; Norwich 0 and Sunderland 2, Bolton 2.