Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2
(Da Silva 35’, Lilepo 75’)

TS Galaxy (0) 0

Betway Premiership
FNB stadium, Nasrec

Kaizer Chiefs extended their winning streak to four with a dominant 2-0 win over TS Galaxy in their Betway premiership encounter at FNB stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Flavio Da Sliva headed Amakhosi into a halftime lead before Glody Lilepo wrapped up the three points with a superb solo goal in the 75^th minute, following a 30 minute delay due to a flash Highveld storm.

With Galaxy struggling for points in the league, Chiefs made the early running looking to put their visitors on the back foot from the start. In bright early autumn sunshine, Amakhosi played with the confidence that comes from winning their last three games. Moving the ball with pace and sharpness, they created some good chances, with Mduduzi Shabalala going close twice within 60 seconds inside the first five minutes. He also had a goal-bound effort blocked in the 10^th minute.

A few moments later Glody Lilepo saw his fierce shot from range saved by Tape Ira, as Chiefs swarmed forward at every opportunity. They kept the pressure on, utilising the flanks to stretch the Galaxy defence which, at times, could barely contain the home side’s attacking momentum. Lebohang Maboe came close to opening the scoring in the 30^th minute following a neat interchange with Da Silva on the edge of the box slipped him in behind the defence, but he couldn’t get his shot on target as it bounced awkwardly in front of him.

The inevitable breakthrough came in the 35^th minute as Thabiso Monyane and Shabalala combined well down the right and the forward wriggled free of his marker before floating a perfectly weighted cross for Da Silva to head home from five yards out.

Lilepo almost scored a second on the stroke of halftime with a trademark 35-yard free kick that only cleared the bar by an inch or two, yet Chiefs went into the halftime interval well on top with a deserved one goal lead.

Amakhosi maintained their dominance when play resumed, just as they had in the first half, as play was condensed inside the Rockets’ half with wave after wave of attack coming every time they temporarily cleared their lines. Lilepo again tried his luck in the 50^th minute but failed to hit the target.

Perhaps sensing their desperate situation with time running down, TS Galaxy abandoned their defensive posture and threw caution to the wind in an attempt to get a foothold in the match, but the well-drilled defensive organisation of Chiefs ensured they didn’t trouble Brandon Petersen on his return to the team, and their impressive game management held the visitors at bay while still threatening to score the goal that would give them a buffer going into the closing stages. Aden McCarthy brought a save out of Ira as he headed Maboe’s free kick on target in the 64^th minute.

As the skies darkened in a portent of one of Johannesburg’s (in)famous rain storms, the referee suspended play in the 65^th minute after deeming the light insufficient to proceed and the players left the field for a short time in order for the floodlights to be switched on. Around half an hour later the game resumed and Amakhosi claimed the cushion goal they were seeking in the 75^th minute in breathtaking fashion through Lilepo. Defending deep, Chiefs broke through sub, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, who found Lilepo in space with Galaxy committed forward. The Congolese outstripped the last defender and as Ira came miles off his line, the Congolese winger calmly rolled the ball past him from a wide angle 30 yards out and into the gaping net.

Mfundo Vilakazi almost crowned the day with a third after Asanele Velebayi found him in a good position but he was thwarted by a last-ditch block. Despite a valiant effort, Galaxy had no threat to offer and succumbed to the superiority of the home side, who took their winning streak to four games and solidified themselves in third place in the Betway Premiership standings, on 42 points from 22 games, and a three point lead over fourth place with two games in hand. They will go into their midweek fixture away to Magesi on Wednesday evening, 15 April, brimming with confidence looking for a fifth win in a row.

Line-ups

Kaizer Chiefs: Petersen © (1); Cross (48), McCarthy (35), Msimango (25), Monyane (2), Maboe (6) (Vilakazi (28) 82’), Ngcobo (12), Ndlovu (8), Shabalala (7) (Chislett (23) 59’), Lilepo (99) (Mayo (3) 82’), Duba (47) (Velebayi (17) 59’), Da Silva (77) (Mthethwa (5) 72’)

Subs not used: Bvuma (16); Miguel (84), Frosler (39), Cele (21)

Coaches: Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze

TS Galaxy: Ira (16); Fisher (23), Zulu (45), Salatiel Silva (5), M. Letsoenyo (3) (Keita (18) 80’), Maduna © (10), Kakora (24), Ngwenya (30), Mahlambi (27), Letsoalo (17), Moletshe (11) (Mvelase (2) 59’)

Subs not used: Maseti (1); Dlamini (6), Mahlangu (4), George (19), Nkosi (26), Mgaga (12), Ouamri (13)

Coach: Adnan Beganovic