Kaizer Chiefs fought hard to earn a well-deserved point after they drew 0-0 with Moroka Swallows in a lightning storm-interrupted DStv Premiership encounter at FNB stadium on Saturday evening, in which they were reduced to 10 men after Edmilson Dove was sent off early in the second half.
The opening 45 minutes produced very little goalmouth action, as both teams were unable to mount any meaningful attacks. Amakhosi had the better of the general play, particularly down the left flank, where happy Mashiane put in a few dangerous crosses that were dealt with by the Swallows defenders.
Chiefs did have the ball in the net midway through the half when Ashley Du Preez scored from a rebound after Ranga Chivaviro’s excellent header from Kegan Dolly’s pin point cross was parried into his path by Dube Birds goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi. However, Du Preez was adjudged to be offside and the goal was not awarded.
For the most part, the first half was an attritional battle and it was no surprise that the teams went into the break at 0-0.
Barely two minutes after the restart, Amakhosi found themselves down to 10 men when Edmilson Dove, who had cut a commanding figure until then, was sent off for a foul on Gabadinho Mhango. A quick through ball from Swallows midfielder Tlakusani Mthethwa boke Chiefs’ high line offside trap to put Mhango clean though on goal. In a desperate attempt to deny him a clear goalscoring opportunity, the Mozambican ‘took one for the team’ and brought him down just outside the box. Mhango smashed the resulting free kick into the wall. Coach Johnson brought on Dillan Solomons for Keagan Dolly and shifted Zitha Kwinika into central defence to allow for Solomons to take up the right back role in a reconfigured defence.
The match was suspended in the 58th minute when lightning appeared in the skies within the immediate vicinity of the stadium and the referee, sensibly, had no hesitation in ordering the players off the field as a safety precaution.
After a delay of around an hour, the match resumed and Amakhosi made light of their numerical deficit to stay very much in the match with some positive play.
At the other end, Bruce Bvuma adjusted expertly to save a Mashweu Mpahlele’s 68th minute shot that took a wicked deflection off Given Msimango that initially had him wrong-footed.
Substitute Wandile Duba came close to breaking the deadlock in the 75th minute but Akpeyi managed to block his shot at close range.
As time ticked away, Bvuma was again called into action, this time diving low to his right to keep out an effort from Kwanda Mngonyama.
Another substitute, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, might have snatched victory right at the death, however his well-struck shot in the fifth and final minute of referee’s added time was pushed away by Akpeyi, but in the end, both teams had to settle for a point each.
The result leaves Amakhosi in 6th place in the league, with 26 points from their 18 matches to date.
The Glamour Boys have a busy week ahead, with Tuesday’s visit by Golden Arrows preceding next weekend’s big Soweto Derby, and they will be targeting nothing less than all six points on offer to get themselves back up the table towards the CAF qualification spots.
SOURCED FROM THE CHIEFS WEBSITE.
