Chiefs fire more blanks
PSL: NATAL RICH BOYS ADD MISERY
Kaizer Chiefs’ season is fast slipping from poor to utterly dreadful, after they went down 1-0 to struggling Richards Bay yesterday in a DStv Premiership tie at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi.
Richards Bay captain Simphiwe Mcineka headed in the winning goal in the 66th minute, to give the KZN side a huge three points in their bid to avoid relegation.
Amakhosi continue to fire blanks in attack, with this the seventh game in 2024 that Chiefs have failed to score a single goal.
Cavin Johnson’s side face a very real danger of not even qualifying for next season’s MTN8, sitting as they are right now in 10th position in the table.
Vusumuzi Vilakazi’s Richards Bay, meanwhile, are now eight points ahead of bottom side Cape Town Spurs, with the two set to meet in the Mother City on Friday.
Chiefs were definitely the brighter side at the start of the game, but still failed to create too many presentable opportunities.
Mduduzi Shabalala got just his sixth league start of the season and the 20-year-old had the first real chance in the 16th minute, running through onto Edmilson Dove’s fine pass but failing to take the ball around Richards Bay goalkeeper Salim Magoola.
In the 28th minute, Ashley Du Preez played an excellent ball to Christian Saile in space inside the penalty area, but his first time shot didn’t pack much of a punch.
Ntsako Makhubela later crossed for Malawian striker Khuda Muyaba, who flashed wide of the near post, but the home side soon had the lead.
Captain Simphiwe Mcineka had an excellent game at the back and here he led from the front, heading in Barns’ corner in the 66th minute.
Almost immediately, Du Preez struck the woodwork for Chiefs, while in the 74th minute, the same player’s deflected shot looked certain to loop into the back of the net, until Magoola made another brilliant save to deny the visiting side an equaliser.