Posted in News on May 18, 2005.
Amakhosi must now beat Bloemfontein Celtic at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein in their final league match on Sunday to pip arch-rivals Orlando Pirates for the title - quite possibly on goal difference.
The Buccaneers will host Bush Bucks in their last fixture at Johannesburg Stadium on Sunday. The result means that both clubs have 59 points going into Sunday final round but Chiefs have the edge as they have a goal difference of +27 to Pirates' +23.
Victory for both sides on the weekend would thus require Pirates to win by four more goals than Chiefs do. Saturday afternoon is going to be a very tense time.
Substitution blunder
There was no score at halftime, but then a tactical blunder by United coach Pitso Mosimane helped Chiefs secure the vital win.
Mosimane was forced to replace the injured Daine Klate in the first half, and then used up his other two substitutes at the start of the second half.
When substitute Tony Tsabedze was forced to withdraw injured in the 74th minute, United were forced to finish the game a man shor, giving Chiefs the edge they needed to win three valuable points.
Chiefs wasted countless chances during the first half which they completely dominated. They took the initiative from the opening whistle and had United in all kinds of trouble throughout an absorbing half in which United did well to finish without conceding a goal.
United goalkeeper Calvin Marlin did well to stop Chiefs veteran midfielder John Moshoeu from opening Chiefs' account in the seventh minute.
A minute later Arthur Zwane missed a chance to score. The mercurial winger failed to connect a well timed cross form
team-mate David Radebe.
Zwane shot over the crossbar in the 11th minute when he should have done better as Chiefs stamped their authority on the match.
Moshoeu was wide in the 15th and 38th minutes. In between Marlin again did brilliantly to deny the 39-year-old midfielder a goal with a great save in the 30th minute.
United battled to get going in attack and their only real effort came from a Lungisani Ndlela header that flew over the Chiefs crossbar in the 45th minute.
Chiefs were the more aggressive side after the break and continued to waste chances to score, Marlin pulled off a great save form a Simphiwe Mbambo header in the 70th minute.
Chiefs should have been awarded a penalty two minutes later when Ricardo Katza handled the ball inside his penalty area but referee Jerome Damon was unsighted.
With the match heading for a draw and Orlando Pirates fans in the capacity crowd thinking of their team winning the championship Ngobese after countless misses pounced in a goal mouth scramble a minute from time for the only goal of a tense match.
