Chiefs can smell victory
VETERAN campaigner Siphiwe Tshabalala rarely scores, but when he does it’s always special.
On a night in which Chiefs were ordinary, they needed something magical and Tshabalala, whose name means gift, provided one when he scored a solitary goal to defeat University of Pretoria 1-0.
The win gives Chiefs another layer in their unassailable lead en route to claiming the Absa Premiership title.
Chiefs now lead with 60 points, with a 13-point margin separating them and secondplaced Mamelodi Sundowns.
With coach Stuart Baxter and captain Itumeleng Khune out due to suspensions, the man in charge, Doctor Khumalo, picked third-choice Reyaad Pieterse ahead of Briliant Khuzwayo to start in goals.
Tuks gave the visitors a rude welcome. Just inside the first minute, Chiefs were forced to defend.
Tuks winger Denver Mukamba was sent down the left and swiftly put in a cross that Thabo Mnyamane directed towards goals, before Pieterse parried for a corner.
From the set piece Tuks probed Chiefs, forcing the men from Naturena to defend two attempts from a goalmouth scramble.
Chiefs’ build-ups were slow and well calculated, while Tuks were keen to get ahead and attacked with vim and vigor.
Though they were quiet, Chiefs fans screamed in agony after 15 minutes when George Lebese failed to capitalise on a superb chance.
Midfield anchorman Willard Katsande had found Tshabalala on the edge of the box with a pass, which the dreadlocked midfielder offloaded to Reneilwe Letsholonyane, who in turn fed Lebese. With keeper Washington Arubi his only obstacle, all Lebese needed to do was pick his spot and drive in a shot.
His shot sailed just narrowly wide.
Tuks also exposed Chiefs’ frailties in defence. The usually dependable Eric Matoho was suspect. He was not the only Chiefs player off colour.
Chiefs’ attacking trio of Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker and Tshabalala did not look like veterans. They hardly attacked in the first half. Parker was particularly ineffective. He slowed down attacks and was not decisive.
Tuks were dealt a huge blow when their main striker, Geofrey Massa, limped off the pitch to make way for Atusaye Nyondo in the first half. Tuks did well to break away on several counter-attacks, but their decision-making in the final third left a lot to be desired.
In the second stanza, Chiefs fans, who flooded Hatfield in numbers, were still waiting for a moment of magic. Lebese was in the thick of things again, but he appeared to have left his scoring boots at home.
Finally, the goal came from a man who redeemed himself.
When Letsholonyane was felled outside the box by Khethukuthula Zwane and referee Lwandile Mfiki awarded a free kick, Tshabalala belted a superb strike to fire Chiefs into the lead.
Tuks tried to get back into the game, but it wasn’t to be as their wayward shooting and Chiefs’ excellence in defence saw the Glamour Boys romp to victory.
Chiefs can smell the glory.