On the run of play Chiefs could easily have embarrassed Downs by

a much bigger winning margin.

The only goal was scored by Mandla Masango in the 83rd minute.

It was one way traffic for Chiefs who missed countless chances

and could have won 6-0 or more had they take their chances.

Downs

were a huge disappointment to their fans in the capacity 28 000

crowd by failing to make Chiefs keeper Arthur Bartman make one

decent save throughout the game.

At the other end the Brazilians' veteran keeper Brain Baloyi was

one of the busiest players on the pitch. To rub salt into Downs

wounds they had striker Mabhuti Khenyeza sent off in the dying

minutes by referee Buyile Gqubule for a second bookable offence.

Chiefs should have taken the lead after dominating the opening

45 minutes.

Amakhosi wasted a number of goal scoring chances against a

hesitant Downs side and when they did manage to find the back of

the net in the 42nd minute George Lebese's header was ruled

offside.

Bartman was not called on to make a save in the first half and

was a spectator during the first period. No wonder as Downs

caretaker coach Trott Moloto opted for a conservative approach

using a lone striker in Khenyeza who was ineffective but to be fair

received little support from his midfield.

Chiefs had a shout for a penalty denied in the third minute when

Elias Pelembe appeared to pull down Knowledge Musona inside his

penalty area.

But referee Gqubule waved play on.

Baloyi had a busy first half. He did well to turn Abia Nale's

dangerous shot for a corner in the 11th minute.

Chiefs kept up the pressure. Baloyi stopped Musona from scoring

from close range in the 16th minute and 60 seconds later the former

Bafana Bafana keeper took no chances by fisting away a goal bound

free kick from Mandla Masango.

But the miss of the match went to Lebese in the 28th minute when

after rounding Baloyi and with the goal at his mercy he hesitated

and allowed Baloyi to recover and clear the danger.

Masondo fired another shot over the crossbar in the 36th minute

and then came Lebese's disallowed goal three minutes from the

break.

While Chiefs were on top they failed to capitalise because of

their powder-puff attack and weakness at free kicks.

To illustrate Chiefs frustration Lebese let fly from about 35

metres, missing the Downs goal by the proverbial mile close to

halftime.

Downs defender Luvhengo Mungomeni came to Baloyi and his team's

rescue in the 52nd minute when he did well to boot Musonda's shot

off his goalline as Amakhosi kept up the pressure.

But another chance was wasted when Musona crashed his shot

against the side netting in the 63rd minute when he should have

done better.

The unmarked Masango somehow failed to connect a

great cross from substitute Nkosinathi Nhleko in the 73rd minute as

Chiefs kept driving forward.

Then Nhleko blasted over the crossbar three minutes later from

close range to the annoyance of coach Vladimir Vermezovic who could

not believe the chances his side were creating and wasting.

But Masango finally got it right when he latched onto a Nale

through ball and slotted home seven minutes from time much to the

relief of the Chiefs fans in the capacity crowd.

But more disaster struck Downs when Khenyez,a who struggled all

afternoon against the well-marshalled Chiefs defence, got his

marching orders in the 90th minute for a second bookable offence.

Then with the last kick of the game Chiefs midfielder Josta

Dladla missed a sitter after being set up by a great pass from

Nhleko.

At the end of the day all that mattered was Masango's winner.