Chatsworth Stadium, Durban


Premier Soccer League


6th December 2006


Kick Off 20h00


Temperature: 27 C

Kaizer Chiefs recorded their third straight league victory with a comfortable win over Amazulu at the Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday evening, as Chiefs kept up their love affair with the coastal city. As they have won six of their last seven official league and cup matches played in Durban, under Ernst Middendorp’s guise as coach.

Although the Chiefs coach was cautious in his approach to Wednesday nights game, and was trying to avoid his team slipping on the proverbial Banana peel ahead of this coming Saturday’s clash with Orlando Pirates. It would have taken a brave man to have put his money on an Amazulu win, as the home team were languishing at the foot of the table when the game kicked off.

For all of Chiefs dominance it must be said that the first shot at goal fell the way of the home team, as Kaizer Motaung was disposed by former Chiefs player Shoes Moshoeu who thought quickly. As he sent a through ball to Thando Ngwabeni whose first time shot from distance was easily picked up by Rowen Fernandez, playing in his 200th official league or cup game.

Chiefs have Gerald Sibeko to thank for their dominance of play in the first half as the nippy midfielder had the Amazulu defense at sixes and sevens, as he sprayed pin point passes to the Chiefs front man.

On elevens minutes Sibeko sent a long searching ball cross field ball from just pass the half way line towards the Amazulu goal post, which found David Radebe in space. Unfortunately for the Chiefs striker he was let down by his first touch, and the ball raced out for an Amazulu goal kick.

On sixteen minutes Chiefs were rewarded for their dominance as David Radebe continued to make himself a nuisance to the home defense, sent in a cross from the left which was met spectacularly by the head of Kaizer Motaung Junior. The Chiefs striker rose between two Amazulu defenders and beat Camara in the Amazulu goal with a looping header.

The Amakhosi were not content with just one goal and as half time beckoned they had the perfect opportunity to double their, after some neat interchanges between Jimmy Tau and David Obua. The latter made a dash up the byline and sent a short pass to Ditheko Mototo who returned the ball to Obua who whipped the ball goal wards, which was spectacularly met by the head of a diving Gerald Sibeko. As the Chiefs faithful in the Chatsworth stadium rose to celebrate they watched in amazement as Camara pulled off a superb one handed save on the line to deny Chiefs the opportunity to extend their lead.

Leading one nil at half time Chiefs returned for the second half looking to extend their lead and got just that nine minutes into the second stanza, when on fifty four minutes Siphiwe Mkhonza sent a long ball into the Amazulu penalty area off a throw in from the right wing.

For a moment it seemed as though the Amazulu defense and goalkeepers thoughts were elsewhere as Mkhonza’s ball fell invitingly for an unmarked David Radebe, who picked his spot and found the back of the net to double Chiefs advantage.

With victory a near certainty Ernst Middendorp made a number of changes one of the entrants to the game was midfielder Scara Ngobese, who brought his party tricks with him as he kept the near capacity crowd highly entertained. It was from his bag of tricks that Scara unleashed a defense cutting ball, which David Obua latched onto and sent a cross into the Amazulu 18 yard area.

The home team did not deal with the ball as it fell invitingly for Gerald Sibeko, who unleashed a powerful volley goal wards only to find Camara in inspired form as he saved well to deny Sibeko for a second time in the game.

As the match panned and Chiefs took their foot off the accelerator Amazulu seemed to find some energy in injury time at the end of the game, while Rowen Fernandez was pedestrian for most of the game he was called onto make a number of saves in the dying minutes of the game.

First up he made a well timed acrobatic save from close range off a header from Amazulu substitute Thando Ngwabeni, from the resultant corner the Chiefs goalie was again at full stretch to keep out an Andile Cele shot from the edge of the penalty area. Amazulu were not finished though and Fernandez earned his win bonus by coming off his line, to bravely save at the feet of Ngwabeni who was clear on goal.

Ernst Middendorp would be particularly pleased with his team’s third straight league and will be hoping that they can keep up the momentum, when they meet arch rivals Orlando Pirates and the FNB Stadium Saturday afternoon.

With Pirates also winning on Wednesday evening, the stage is set for a humdinger, with both teams seemingly getting their title aspirations on track as the curtain draws on the first phase in the history of the FNB Stadium.

Chiefs will return to Johannesburg on Thursday as they shift their focus to the Soweto Derby, and Ernst Middendorp will be hoping that they will be able to continue their upward march in the league standings. Which has in the past three weeks seen Chiefs climb from the bottom five into the top five on the PSL standings, victory over Pirates on Saturday will see Chiefs breathing down the necks of Bidvest Wits and Silver Stars.

Line Up’s:

Amazulu: 35. C. Kemoko, 25. B. Kasonga, 4. P. Sigwili, 27. M. Carelse, 80. a. Molekoa, 21. E. Sithole (22. Cele 75 min), 20. N. Zwane, 6. B. Chenene (18. Malefane 60 min),

01. J.L. Moshoeu, 26. P. Apataki (10. Ngwabeni 51 min) 16. D. Ngwenya




Substitutes: 30. T. Motsoeneng, 23. I. Leshabane, 22. A. Cele, 12. T. Mutamba,

18. S. Malefane, 17. M. Maleka, 10. T. Ngwabeni

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau, 6. F. McCarthy, 44. S. Mkhonza,

33. D. Mototo (12. Mooki 66 min), 27. G. Sibeko, 8. T. Nengomasha, 13. D. Obua,

10. S. Nkosi (11. Ngobese 56 min), 7. K. Motaung Junior (20. Agyemang 68 min),

31. D. Radebe




Substitutes: 30. E. Baron, 22. R. Kilambe, 11. E. Ngobese, 24. D. Mathebula,

20. L. Agyemang, 12. T. Mooki, 9. S. Djiehoua

Cautions:

Kaizer Chiefs: Yellow Cards, 27. Gerald Sibeko 45 min

Officials:

Referee: Matthew Dyer


Assistant 1: Thembikile Bikitsha


Assistant 2: Fikile Mtintsilane


4th Official: Yusuf Vawda


Match Commissioner: Ian Mcleod