Polokwane City condemn Chiefs to another defeat
Emerging as early season surprise packages, having also handed champions Mamelodi Sundowns what remains their only league defeat thus far back in October, Polokwane City condemned star-crossed Kaizer Chiefs to their third league defeat of the campaign.
Just when Chiefs were piling all sorts of pressure on Polokwane in their bid to level matters, Mokibelo Ramabu dashed all that by scoring the goal that made it 2-0, the final score, in the 90th minute. Rise and Shine benefited from a break attack to seal the deal as Chiefs were left vulnerable at the back, trying to find the leveller. Polokwane have moved to third on the log.
Amid rife reports this week that he habitually breaches club's code of conduct, Gaston Sirino still found himself in the starting line-up with Njabulo Blom also starting at an unfamiliar right-back position, thanks to first-choice Reeve Frosler's suspension and second-choice Dillan Solomons' injury.
Conversely, Rise and Shine made two changes to the starting line-up that drew 1-all against TS Galaxy last Sunday, with skipper Bulelani Nikani and striker Douglas Mapfumo claiming the berths that were occupied by Francious Baloyi and Hlayisi Chauke against Galaxy respectively.
Mapfumo was replaced by Chauke at the start of the second stanza but the latter lasted a mere 27 minutes, suffering a face injury after being hit by the ball, to be stretchered off for Puleng Marema.
Chiefs made several box entries in the early stages of the match, also controlling the ball. What helped Chiefs to control the game was the combination of skipper Yusuf Maart and Sibongiseni Mthethwa in the engine room. The pair kept to basics and never held onto the ball too long. The Chiefs midfield duo also played a few forward passes to tee up the likes of Sirino and Mduduzi Shabalala but their forwards lacked that cutting edge.
Against the run of play, Polokwane took the lead via Oswin Appollis in the 17th minute when his strike, from an acute angle, that was yielded by Thabang Matuludi's low-driven cross, beat Brandon Petersen. Eager to turn things around, Chiefs returned with Mfundo Vilakazi and Tebogo Potsane, who had never played under new coach Nasreddine Nabi in an official match before, from the halftime break. The pair replaced Sirino and Wandile Duba respectively.
Chiefs created a number of chances late in the second half but it was not meant to be as it was Polokwane who scored late to make it 2-0. Potsane hit the woodwork in what was one of Chiefs' best late chances.
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