SUPERSPORT EDGE CHIEFS IN THRILL
SuperSport United overpowered a 10-man Kaizer Chiefs to claim a 2-1 win in the teams’ Absa Premiership match at FNB Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Amakhosi, who are still searching for a first win this season, played almost the whole match a man down and Matsatsantsa were simply too strong on the night, picking up a second successive win over Steve Komphela’s team after eliminating them from the MTN8 earlier in the month.
The match had a major twist as early as the seventh minute, with Chiefs defender Erick Mathoho given a straight red card for a last-man challenge on Bradley Grobler on the edge of the box.
United soon took advantage of their numerical advantage, with Thuso Phala and Dove Wome exchanging passes before the latter provided a cross from Aubrey Modiba to score with a looping header on 13 minutes.
The Soweto side responded by sending on Daniel Cardoso – though it was in place of fellow central defender Lorenzo Gordinho, leaving midfielder Willard Katsande to partner the substitute in a makeshift centre-back pairing.
On 20 minutes it was very nearly 2-0 to SuperSport, with the Amakhosi needing Hendrick Ekstein to clear off the line after Tsepo Masilela and Brilliant Khuzwayo had a nasty collision while trying to defend a cross – the ball bounced toward the line but Ekstein’s intervention prevented an own goal.
But there was a casualty from the incident, as Masilela limped off the pitch a few minutes later to be replaced by Philani Zulu – Chiefs’ second change within the first half hour.
Matsatsantsa doubled their lead on the stroke of half time, with a superb through ball from Teboho Mokoena putting Grobler in on goal, and the striker duly tucked the chance away to make it 2-0 at the break.
Just before the midway point of the second half Chiefs pulled a goal back: Ramahlwe Mphahlele crossed from the right, Siphiwe Tshabalala put a cushioned header into the danger area and Gustavo Paez expertly finished the chance to halve the deficit.
Paez’s strike sparked some hope that the Amakhosi could claim something from the game in spite of their disadvantage, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation. Chiefs will only be in action again next month after the international break, while SuperSport will face Maritzburg United in the first leg of the MTN8 semifinals this weekend.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Paez 66’)
SuperSport United (2) 2 (Modiba 13’, Grobler 45+1’)
Chiefs: Khuzwayo, Mphahlele, Gordinho (Cardoso 17’), Mathoho, Masilela (Zulu 25’), Ekstein, Katsande, Maluleka, Tshabalala, Parker (Twala 58’), Paez
SuperSport: Williams, Kekana, Gould, Daniels, Ritchie, Phala (Nhlapo 88’), Letsholonyane, Mokoena, Modiba, Wome (Brockie 46’), Grobler (Alexander 74’)
SOURCED FROM PSL WEBSITE
