Kaizer Chiefs could have scored more than just two goals, but that is irrelevant, as they moved to the top of the Castle Premiership standings with the 2-0 win against Manning Rangers at Soccer City on Sunday.

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Chiefs have only lost once this season and the victory was enough to take them to the

summit despite title rivals Ajax Cape Town winning 1-0 against Santos in Cape Town.

Rangers had not beaten Chiefs in over 10 years and there was very little to suggest that

the situation was about to change as the hosts pummeled the Durban club with attack after attack from the first whistle.

Chiefs made their intentions clear earlier on with David Radebe supplying a good ball across the middle to Kabamba Musasa on five minutes but his effort was blocked for a corner. A minute later young midfielder Junior Khanye - a constant thorn in the Rangers flesh - fired from outside the box but his low shot did not trouble the Rangers keeper.

Chiefs goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez was back in goal after missing three games. The former under-23 goal-minder, who has conceded just one goal in nine league appearance, was never really tested until the 21st minute when he had to deal with a dangerous long cross from Billy Ratsoana with lanky striker Dale Studzinski lurking.

Rangers keeper Chad Harpur was the busiest of the two from the first half. He

pulled an excellent save to deny Stanton Fredericks who struck a first time volley from

Junior Khanye’s cross on 28 minutes.

However, Harpur had no reply to Radebe’s well-taken goal on the half hour mark. Defender Cyril Nzama had been impressive throughout the match and on this occasion, took the Rangers back-line on through the middle to create the opening goal. It was Radebe’s second league goal of the season after he last scored on the club’s 34th birthday in the 1-0 win against Hellenic at the same venue.

Radebe should have at least grabbed a hat-trick from this fixture, bar the misdirected and sometimes rushed kicks. On the one occasion when he appeared certain the score, the former Free State Stars man ballooned wide off target and Harpur blocked his second attempt past the hour mark.

Chiefs introduced fresh legs in the form of Swaziland international Sibusiso Dlamini in

place of DR Congo striker Musasa. Dlamini immediately knuckled down to business and had a

hand in the second goal when he played the ball to Radebe, who in turn played it wide on

his right to an unmarked Fredericks who fired in the second on 58 minutes.

Rangers returned from the break with a new sense of urgency and more commitment. They varied their attacks by occasionally taking long shots from range hoping to catch Fernandez off-guard. But not on this day, as he easily dealt with a cracking volley from Frank Schoeman on 50 minutes.

The hard-working Nzama was unlucky not to have his name on the score sheet when he was denied by Harpur on 53 minutes following a brilliant run through the middle. Few minutes later Radebe saw his dream of a brace dashed when Harpur easily collected.

Rangers had two chances within a space of three minutes towards the end of the first half

but Fernandez stood his ground. First defender Schoeman’s tame shot was easily dealt with

on 38 minutes and Dale Studzinski almost found the equaliser on 41 minutes but his effort

went just wide.

Teams:

Kaizer Chiefs: 1-Fernandez, 4-Nzama, 28-Spencer, 5-Mabedi, 6-Mcarthy, 10-Fredericks

(12-Mooki 79th), 8-Nengomasha, 91-Moshoeu, 13-Khanye (21-Mayo 62nd), 31-Radebe, 33-Musasa

(20-Dlamini 57th).

Manning Rangers: 1-Harpur, 3-Bobbs (18-Stuart 35th), 6-Nduti, 28-Mamba, 16-Isaks,

20-Schoeman, 13-Tsiu, 15-Siphika (19-Minga 61st), 4-Ratsoana, 11-Studzinski (9-Meiring

73rd), 21-Jordan.

Referee: Lawrence Monnathoko

Yellow Cards: Nduti 24, Mamba 78, Minga 88