Kaizer Chiefs maintained their rich vein of form by beating Lamontville Golden Arrows 2-0 at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.
Amakhosi scored in both halves through a 26th minute penalty by Daniel Cardoso before Arrows defender Nkosinathi Sibisi scored a dramatic own goal in the 60th minute while trying to clear a Khama Billiat header which ricocheted off the post.ADVERTISING
This was Chiefs’s third victory of the season, the first since September last season when they had a similar run.
Overall, Chiefs have now won an impressive six league matches in their first eight this season, the other two being a loss and a draw.
The win sees Amakhosi opening a four point gap on top of the Absa Premiership table between themselves and second-placed Bidvest Wits, who beat Chippa United 1-0 in Port Elizabeth.
Cardoso’s strike came after right wingback Njabulo Blom had done well to eliminate Arrows defender Divine Lunga and whipped in a strong cross which was parried by keeper Edmore Sibanda onto Billiat, whose shot was handled by Siyabonga Dube inside the area.
Referee Kwinda Olani pointed to the spot and Cardoso gave Sibanda no chance, sending him the wrong way to score his second goal of the season after also scoring a vital winner against Cape Town City in August.
Chiefs had come to this match with their coach Ernst Middendorp worried about the number of injuries suffered by his players in the previous two wins against AmaZulu (2-0) and Baroka FC (1-0).
Middendorp was forced to make three changes from the team that started against Baroka on Saturday, bringing in Blom for Reeve Frosler, captain Willard Katsande for George Maluleka and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi for Itumeleng Khune.
Arrows were not completely outplayed in this match and had their fair share of chances in both halves but strikers Knox Mutizwa and Sibusiso Sibeko failed to give coach Steve Komphela his first victory against his former club.
Mutizwa in particular should have punished Chiefs in the 78th minute when he was on one of one with Akpeyi after the Chiefs keeper failed to handle Danny Phiri’s long range shot.
With his team nursing a number of injuries Middendorp will welcome the Fifa break after Saturday’s MTN8 final.
Amakhosi’s next league match will be a blockbuster away to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns on October 27, while Arrows will next host Polokwane City on October 26.
But before the next batch of league games the PSL matches will resume with the first round of the Telkom Knockout between October 19 and 22.
