Staff Reporter.
Flavio Silva strike helped Kaizer Chiefs earn a 1-0 win over Lamontville Golden Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Silva netted on debut for Chiefs to extend their unbeaten streak to five games in the league.
Chiefs have won four of their first five Betway Premiership encounters this season, drawing the other against Mamelodi Sundowns, and are the only side in the league yet to concede a goal. They sit tied on 13 points with Sekhukhune United at the top of the table.
Arrows suffered their first defeat against Chiefs since the 2023-24 season and fell to sixth on the log. They have collected seven points from their five Betway Premiership fixtures.
The visitors claimed the first clear chance of the game as Ashley Du Preez fired his 10th-minute shot straight at goalkeeper Zakahle Ngcobo.
Chiefs continued to push and had a goal denied in the 22nd minute as Mduduzi Shabalala, who has been selected to represent Bafana Bafana, was judged to be offside.
In the 50th minute, Glody Lilepo played a sneaky ball to Shabalala in the box, who took the ball around the keeper, closing the angle for himself. He overcooked his ball to Pule Mmodi at the far post, with Chief’s chance coming to nothing.
Arrows could have gone in front in the 55th minute, as Siyanda Ndlovu’s cross found Junior Dion unmarked in the middle of the box, but his effort was denied by the upright.
Chiefs netted in the 69th minute as all three of their 59th-minute substitutes linked up to devastating effect.
Mfundo Vilakazi found the run of Gastón Sirino into the Arrows box, who cut the ball back for Silva. The 29-year-old slotted the ball into the back of the net to give Amakhosi a late lead.
Lilepo broke away down the left side of the pitch in the 80th minute, dribbling past defenders and into the box, but he could not find the back of the net from a tight angle on the baseline.
In the 87th minute, Sibongiseni Mthethwa made a run from halfway and found Sirino, who cut onto his right foot in the box but could not find the back of the net.
Meanwhile TS Galaxy crushed Orbit College 3-1 at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Saturday night to rack up a third successive win in the Betway Premiership.
Elsewhere Sekhukhune United climbed back to the Betway Premiership summit after they ran out 2-0 victors over Durban City at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, August 30.