SuperSport United badly needed to win this fixture to revive their ailing fortunes in the league, and this much was evident as coach Pitso Mosimane was very animated on the sideline.

Mngomeni's goal was all the sweeter after an earlier effort had been disallowed.

The visitors thought they had taken the lead on the stroke of halftime after Chiefs failed to clear Khoabane's effort, which was blocked by Baloyi, but the assistant referee had his flag up indicating that the ball had already gone out of play when Khoabane crossed it back to Mngomeni.

That decision infuriated coach Mosimane who verbally let fly at the match officials.

The night looked like turning into another frustrating one night for Mosimane after his key defender Themba Mnguni was stretched off after only eight minutes with what appeared to be a broken leg, his place being taken by Zimbabwean Kaitano Tembo.

Mnguni's misfortune resulted from an attempted tackle on Swazi international Dlamini.

And with Jabu Pule and Arthur Zwane at their usual best, things did not look good for United.

The visitors struggled to control the midfield where most of their attacks were broken down. Chiefs, however, could not capitalise on the many chances that fell their way.

At the back Amakhosi appeared suspect with Swazi international Dennis Masina giving Peter Matshitse a torrid time. Matshitse, who was returning from injury and making only his second appearance of the season, was later replaced by young Buti Sithole.

Once United had absorbed the initial Chiefs threat, they started moving forward with pace and threatened to score each time they entered the box.

After 64 minutes Matshitse conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box, from where Mngomeni's superb strike beat the wall and sailed into the net to put the Pretoria side into the lead.

The goal lifted Matsatsantsa, who kept pushing forward for more while their coach kept calling for calm.

Chiefs coach Ted Dumitru conceded that his side didn’t do enough to win the match and steered away from blaming any individuals for the loss.

"I think there is still that element of mental fatigue after the Ajax game. United were much fresher than us and were crisp at the back. They packed their defence at times with six players," said Dumitru.

There were plenty of early exchanges between the two sides with SuperSport applying pressure in the opening minutes of the game, winning a corner that allowed defender Phil Evans to test Brian Baloyi with a well-taken half volley.

Chiefs had the better of the first half and created numerous scoring opportunities, but United's defence held firm.

United were forced to concede a corner on 13 minutes following a dangerous cross into the box by Pule.

Zwane's short-taken corner earned Amakhosi a free-kick on the edge of the box after Pule was fouled, but Moshoeu’s effort went marginally wide.

Zwane was also stretched off the field on 23 minutes following a collision with Masina but after a brief check from the medical team he was back in the thick of things.

Chiefs had a great opportunity on 33 minutes when Moshoeu won possession on the halfway line and supplied the ball to Pule. The midfielder surged forward but his powerful shot was well saved by Marlin.

Baloyi made a fine save to deny Mothlajwa five minutes before the break following a lapse in concentration in the Chiefs defence.

McCarthy misjudged a long cross from Mngomeni on the left and the ball fell to Masina, who laid the ball for Mothlajwa. The keeper, however, was more than a match for the effort.

At the end of the night it was the goal by Mngomeni that separated the two sides as Chiefs succumbed to their first defeat of the season.

It's back to the drawing board for the Naturena side who have a league fixture against Manning Rangers at the weekend.

Teams:

Chiefs: 16-Baloyi, 4-Nzama, 25-Matshitse (Sithole 71), 6-McCarthy, 5-Mabedi, 12-Mooki, 18-Zwane, 91-Moshoeu, 21-Mayo (Radebe 58), 20-Dlamini (Musasa 78), 11-Pule.


Subs: 30-Mathibe, 24-Mabotsa, 35-Sithole, 33-Musasa, 31-Radebe, 13-Khanye, 17-Richards.

SuperSport: 29-Marlin, 15-Zwane, 3-Evans, 5-Masina (Ntsoelengoe 73), 6-Gaxa, 26-Khoabane, 12-Mothlajwa, 2-Katza, 13-Mngomeni, 22-Mnguni (Tembo 8), 18-Raselemane (Mwamba 89).




Subs: 1-Johnson, 10-Makua, 9-Mwamba, 19-Ntsoelengoe, 16-Sibeko, 4-Tembo, 25-Lekone.

Referee: Ronnie Marhule

Cards: Mngomeni 21, M Zwane 37, Pule 92