Chiefs win to stay top

Kaizer Chiefs continued their dominance at the top of the Absa Premiership table as they came out 3-1 victors at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday night.

Tefu Mashamiate set the tone of the game when he handed the visitors a lead in the fourth minute, before goals from Kingston Nkhatha and Lucky Baloyi wrapped up the victory.

Stuart Baxter welcomed back the return of Morgan Gould to his defensive unit after having spent six months on the sidelines due to an Achilles injury.

Eric Mathoho was the one making way for the defender’s return as they looked to maintain their position as the log leaders.

The visitors couldn’t have asked for a better start than the one they received when they took the lead four minutes in.

Siphiwe Tshabalala was on hand to supply a corner into the box, which was flicked on by Gould and directed to Tefu Mashamaite who made no error in tapping it into the back of the net, 1-0.

That goal didn’t seem to unsettle Leopards, however, as they came out with some blistering pace on the counter attack which saw Mongezi Bobe force Itumeleng Khune into making a save shortly after.

The Chiefs’ shot-stopper pulled off some heroics, in the 23rd minute, when he performed a fantastic double save which saw him push Abbas Amidu’s shot onto the upright before gathering the rebound.

On the half hour, Jean Mugananga hit an ambitious strike from 30-yards out but it went well wide of Khune’s goal.

Leopards’ insistence paid off when they managed to find a 41st minute equalizer through Josua Obaje. The striker connected to the end of a brilliant supplied cross to beat Khune at the near post, 1-1.

Abel Makhubela opted to make a change at the start of the second half in which he brought on David Zulu in place of Amidu.

Chiefs were left ruing their missed chances when Mandla Masango did all the hard work to break into the box and beat his marker, but he failed at the last hurdle in trying to beat Maphaha when he stung the side netting in the 51st minute.

On the hour, Bernard Parker tested Azwindini Maphaha with his set-piece delivery at goal but the shot-stopper made an acrobatic save to push it around his post.

Chiefs reclaimed the glory in the 65th minute, when Kingston Nkhatha gathered onto a Reneilwe Letsholonyane through ball to strike a fantastic effort which rattled the back of the net despite Maphaha getting his fingers to it.

Lucky Baloyi put the icing on the cake with a 94th minute goal with the last touch of the game.

Black Leopards: (1) 1 (Obaje 41’)

Kaizer Chiefs: (1) 3 (Mashamaite 4’, Nkatha 65’, Baloyi 94’)

Teams:

Black Leopards: Maphaha, Khoza, Xakane, Nyirenda, Mabunda, Bobe (H. Zulu 80’), Monama, Mugananga, Dzaga, Amidu (D, Zulu 47’), Obaje

Kaizer Chiefs: Khune, Gaxa, Gould, Mashamaite, Ritchie (Masilela 83’), Katsande, Letsholonyane (Baloyi 86’), Tshabalala, Masango, Nkhatha (Ngcobo 67’), Parker

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