Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2
(Mphahlele o.g. 18’, Ofori o.g. 63’)

AmaZulu (1) 2
(Moremi 23’, Kambindu 60’))

Betway Premiership
FNB Stadium, Nasrec

Kaizer Chiefs drew 2-2 against AmaZulu in an exciting Bewtay Premiership encounter at FNB stadium on Tuesday evening, in which they will feel they created enough opportunities to have won comfortably, particularly in the first half.

Taashriq Morris was denied a goal on debut by a deflection off Ramahlwe Mphahlele that went down as an own goal in the 18^th minute to give Amakhosi the lead. Tshepang Moremi levelled in the 23^rd minute as the teams went into the break locked at a goal apiece.

Elmo Kambindu headed Usuthu into the lead with an hour gone but three minutes later, AmaZulu goalkeeper, Richard Ofori, scored a second own goal to gift Chiefs an equaliser and a share of the spoils.

Chiefs employed a high press from the opening whistle and it almost paid dividends within a minute when they won the ball high up the pitch causing chaos in the AmaZulu defence. The ball broke to Yusuf Maart whose shot was parried by goalkeeper, Richard Ofori into the path of Morris, yet the striker found the ‘keeper in a defiant mood as he saw his shot blocked and cleared.

Glody Lileop, making his full debut for Chiefs, alongside Thabo Cele and Morris, was a constant threat down the right flank and his mazy run in the 5^th minute was only halted right near the goal by a last –ditch tackle from Mphahlele.

Three minutes later, a splendid move involving Cele, Maarrt, and Glody set Reeve Frosler free and hit cut back was smashed into the side-netting by Mduduzi Shabalala.

Chiefs went ahead in the 18^th minute when more good combination play down the right between Frosler and Lilepo saw the former cross into the danger area, where Ofori fumbled as Morris and Mphahlele went for the ball. Both seemed to make contact but the last touch before the ball bobbled into the net was ruled to have come off the defender, who was credited with an own goal, thus denying Morris a goal on debut.

The lead, however, lasted barley five minutes, and AmaZulu drew level in the 23^rd minute with what proved to be their only effort on target in the opening 45 minutes. Rowan Human won the ball in midfield and threaded a perfect pass through to Moremi, who showed composure to beat Bruce Bvuma to level the scores.

Chiefs continued to dominate with Morris and Lilepo both drawing saves from Ofori before the referee brough a close to the first half with the score at 1-1.

AmaZulu gained a foothold at the start of the second half and the game became more of an even contest. The visitors even took the lead on the hour mark when Elmo Kambindu headed home Human’s corner.

The setback spurred Amakhosi into action and they duly drew level, courtesy of a second comical own goal, this time from Ofori who pushed Lilepo’s leaping header into his own net after a fierce shot by Frosler had rebounded off the crossbar.

Amakhosi came under some pressure later in the half and a Moremi strike hit the upright in the 67^th minute, but they managed a few efforts of their own. With 10 minutes to go, Frosler found substitute Gaston Sirino whose shot was blocked, and Morris headed Sirino’s cross wide following a short corner. The Uruguayan almost set up another sub, Ranga Chivaviro in the 86^th minute with a ball across goal that the big striker was a whisker away from connecting with.

In the end Amakhosi had to settle for a draw and a point that keeps the in fifth place in the Betway Premiership league table on 22 points, two more their next opponents, sixth-placed Stellenbosch FC, away on 7 February.

Line-ups:

Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma (44), Miguel (84), Dortley (14), Cross (48), Frosler (39), Cele (21) (Zwane (37) 67’), Maart © (8), Mmodi (13) (Sirino (10) 67’), Shabalala (42) (Mthethwa (5) 46’), Lilepo (99) (Vilakazi (28) 82’), Morris (40) (Chivaviro (7) 82’)

Subs not Used: Petersen (1), Kwinika (4), Ditlhokwe (24), Blom (6), Potsane (11)

Coach: Nasreddine Nabi

AmaZulu: Ofori (50), Jooste (26), Mphahlele © (23), Hanamub (14), Fielies (43), Motshwari (8), Ekstein (27) (Brooks (4) 83’), Zungu (34) (Ngema (10) 72’), Kambindu (93) (Ighodaro (9) 83’), Moremi (19), Human (21),

Subs not used: Mothwa (44), Gumede (17), Ngobeni (25), Mngonyana (45), Sithole (37), Mbanjwa (15)

Co-Coaches: Arthur Zwane and Vusumuzi Vilakazi