Posted in Match Report, News, Team News on May 02, 2024.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1
(Shabalala pen. 85’)
Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 5
(Matthews 52’, 82’, Esquivel 56’, Ribeiro 90’, Lorch (90+4’)
FNB stadium, Nasrec
A dubious red card issued to Given Msimango in the 22nd minute put Amakhosi at a distinct disadvantage on a frustrating evening that saw them go down 5-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB stadium on Thursday evening.
Had they not been hampered by playing the majority of the game a man light, they might well have prevented Sundowns from collecting the three DStv Premiership points they needed to clinch this season’s league championship.
Amakhosi began the stronger, with the confidence gained from their impressive victory over SuperSport United evident as they passed the ball around crisply, looking for chinks in the Brazilians’ armour.
Intent on utilising the pace of Ashley Du Preez and Christian Saile to exploit Sundowns’ defensive high line, Chiefs were the first to threaten when Du Preez timed his run well to beat the defence and get a shot away that Dennis Onyango saved comfortably.
The tide of play changed dramatically in the 19th minute when Given Msimango was shown a straight red card by referee, Abongile Tom, after he brought down Lucas Ribeiro who was clean through on goal, having broken away after a promising Amakhosi attack was repelled. The sending off was particularly harsh considering the referee did not appear to see Thembinkosi Lorch blatantly shoulder barge Thatayaone Ditlhokwe out of the way off the ball to clear the space for Ribeiro to run into, and should rightly have penalised the Sundowns forward.
Down to 10 men, Chiefs, with Yusuf Maart dropping in at right back with Zitha Kwinika filling Msimango’s position in the centre, pulled together to keep their numerically superior opponents at arm’s length.
It took until the 36th minute for Sundowns to break the line but then there was Bruce Bvuma to keep the Chiefs goal intact, producing two excellent saves in succession to deny Tashreeq Matthews and Lorch.
Chiefs still also posed a threat and almost stole the lead on the stroke of halftime, when Some tricky wing play by Pule Mmodi fashioned a chance for Reeve Frosler, whose fierce goal bound shot was blocked by Mosa Lebusa, and the teams went into the break with no goals on the board.
Sundowns, however, took the lead seven minutes into the second half when a Lorch cross from the left was half-cleared by Ditlhokwe. The ball fell to Ribeiro, whose slide-rule pass left Tashreeq Matthews a tap-in past Bvuma.
They doubled their lead four minutes later through Matias Esquivel, albeit with a large slice of good fortune. The Argentine winger slalomed through the Chiefs defence but struck a weak shot that deflected sharply off Kwinika into the net past a wrong-footed Bvuma.
Amakhosi withstood further pressure but were breached again in the 82nd minute, as legs began to tire from covering extra ground. Substitute, Marcelo Allende found Matthews in space to hit a firm shot into the net to extend their lead.
Throwing caution to the wind, Chiefs attacked straight from the kick off and were awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute when Mduduzi Shabalala was felled inside the box. The 20-year-old, who had only come off the bench a matter of minutes prior, showed the temperament of a veteran by slotting the spot-kick home to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
Sadly, the revival was short-lived and Sundowns struck twice more in referee’s added time, first through Ribeiro in the 90th minute, who was given too much time and space to pick his spot with a hard low drive, and the Lorch headed home Ribeiro’s chipped cross with the last touch of the game in the 94th minute.
Chiefs remain in 8th place in the league standings, with 33 points from 26 games and Cavin Johnson will take heart in the courage and effort his players displayed in trying circumstances as he tries to pick them up ahead of their next match, against TS Galaxy in Polokwane on Tuesday, 7 May.
Line-ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma (44), Frosler (39), Kwinika (4), Msimango (25), Ditlhokwe (24), Maart(8) ©, Sithebe (6), Castillo (17), Mmodi (13) (Mashiane (19) 63’), Basomboli Saile (21) (Mthethwa (5) 63’), Du Preez (9) (Shabalala (42) 75’)
Subs not used: Petersen (1); Nj Ngcobo (27), Zwane (37), Vilakazi (28), Gonzalez (14), Chivaviro (7)
Coach: Cavin Johnson
Mamelodi Sundowns: D. Onyango © (1); Mdunyelwa (44) (Mvala (34) 63’), Mashego (14), Coetzee (40) (Mbule (24) 73’), Lebusa (5) (Modiba (17) 63’), Mkhulise (21), Maema (35) (Mudau (25) 63’), Lorch (45), Esquivel (9) (Allende (11) 79’), Ribeiro Costa (23), Matthews (70)
Subs not used: Williams (30); Maboe (39), Nku (7), Shalulile (38)
Coach: Rhulani Mokwena
