The Kaizer Chiefs reserve team was made to work hard for victory on Monday afternoon in Eldorado Park as they eventually overcame a resilient Benoni Premier United Reserve 2-0 and picked three valuable points in so doing.

Chiefs reserve team coach Ace Khuse was looking for a win and although it was not an easy one, but coach did profess himself to be happy with the result afterwards. It was with a stroke of good fortune that the Amakhosi were able to take the lead, as a defensive lapse in the Benoni ranks allowed Serge Djiehoua to hand Chiefs the lead in the fourth minute.

A second goal from Rotson Kilambe on the stroke of time secured the points for Chiefs, as they began the second round of games in the reserve league with a win which keeps them in first place on the log standings.

Early on in the game Benoni midfielder Tshepo Masilela, under pressure from a Chiefs player close to the half way line, opted to pass the ball back to teammate Jacob Sangala, Masilela misdirected his pass. Instead of the ball landing up with Sangala it went between him and keeper Yobou. Serge Djiehoua raced onto the lose ball and wasted no time in collecting in and crashed the ball home from close range to hand Chiefs the lead. Good clear goal scoring chances were few and far between in the first half and when they did come about it was not through any intuitive thinking on the part of the attackers, the chances came about due to a lack of communication in the defence.

Benoni almost benefited from a Chiefs defensive error in the 20th minute, when Lawrence Molekwane, under pressure form Bernard Parker was unable to effectively get the ball back to Ryan Wuest. Molekwane’s backward header fell short and Parker raced through onto goal for some quick thinking from Ryan Wuest who threw his body on the line and was able to knock the ball, Benoni could easily have found themselves level pegging.

As half time neared Benoni carved an opening as Godfrey Mokoena sent in a long looping cross from the right wing, Bernard Parker was able to soar above to Chiefs defenders and got onto the end of the cross.

Parker sent a well time powerful header goal wards for all his hard work Parker was matched by Chiefs goalkeeper Ryan Wuest, who at full stretch on his goal line was able to turn the ball away for a corner. The first half ended with Chiefs holding on to a 1-0 lead.

It took almost nine minutes before the first shot was fired at goal in anger in the second half, it came off a Benoni free kick when substitute Mhlambi was able to hit the ball over the Chiefs defensive wall but the wall went straight into the waiting arms of Wuest.

In the fifty fifth minute David Mathebula was able to glide pass the Benoni defence, and from the edge of the opposition 18 yard area he unleashed a powerful driven shot goal wards. The ball struck with speed and power flew the air and as Yobou attempted to grab the ball, the power behind the shot knocked the keeper over as he fell Yobou managed to push the ball out for a corner. On sixty three minutes and Mhlambi was at it again on this occasion he brought the best out of Wuest, when he took a shot through a crowd of bodies when he was inline with the Chiefs goal. Wuest dealt with the danger by diving across the length of the goal, with the aid of his left hand was able to palm the ball away for a corner.

In the seventieth minute David Mathebula sold the Benoni defence a dummy when instead of playing a free kick on the edge of the penalty area forward he went back and teed up a shot for Derrick Spencer. With Benoni defence unaware as to where the ball was Spencer raced onto to the ball and banged it towards goal, but some how the ball flew inches wide of Yobou’s right post.

Chiefs were content with holding up the ball and made Benoni do all the chasing as the game neared its conclusion. When Mkhonza was brought down just past the half way line, he wasted no time in getting the ball up to David Mathebula in quick time, who in turn stormed down the right wing and played a grounded pass towards Louis Agyemang, who ran towards the ball and then let it run through his legs, with Yobou and his defence already committed to stopping Agyemang the ball fell to Rotson Kilambe. Who with an empty goal was not going to squander the opportunity, as he side footed the ball home from a few meters out to seal the win for Chiefs.

With their win on Monday afternoon the Chiefs reserves begin the second round in the same manner that they ended the last round, which was with a win which keeps them out in front on the standings. With a tough assignment away against Mamelodi Sundowns in a weeks time Ace Khuse will be looking to give his team enough time to ensure that they are ready to continue with the fight to be crowned reserve league Champions for 2007.

Line Up’s:

Kaizer Chiefs: 30. R. Wuest, 23. L. Molekwane, 33. D. Mototo, 8. T. Nengomasha,

44. S. Mkhonza, 28. D. Spencer, 24. D. Mathebula,

12. T. Mooki (2. Masenya 69 min), 9. S. Djiehoua (19. Gololo 77 min),

11. S. Msomi (20. Agyemang 43 min), 22. J. Pilusa (6. Kilambe 61 min)

Substitutes: 32. I. Khune, 2. M. Masenya, 22. J. Pilusa, 17. S. Zuke, 19. B. Gololo,

6. R. Kilambe, 91. S. Mbambo

Benoni Premier United: 29. N. Yobou, 4. G. Mokoena,

25. T. Masilela (8. Mashishi 68 min), 14. J. Mahlangu (20. Moloi 46 min), 28. S. Zwane, 5. R. Konan, 3. J. Sangala (7. Roland 68 min), 2. B. Tshabalala, 17. B. Parker, 80. B. Twala, 12. K. Loke (18. Mhlambhi 54 min)

Substitutes: 1. M. Tsengwa, 18. I. Mhlambhi, 21. T. Yawa, 8. T. Mashishi, 7. K. Roland, 20. A. Moloi, 26. M. Mokgethi

Cautions: Benoni Premier United, 25. Tshepo Masilela 25 min


Kaizer Chiefs, 9. Serge Djiehoua 27 min

Officials:

Referee: Gabriel Skopo


Assistant 1: Michael Ndlovu


Assistant 2: Bongani Khumalo


4th Official: Tenda Masikhwa