By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Kaizer Chiefs celebrated Stuart Baxter’s 100th league game in charge with a crucial 2-1 win over arch rivals Orlando Pirates in a tightly contested 175th Soweto Derby.
Pirates came the closest to an early goal when Fortune Makaringe’s attempted cross from the left of the penalty area clipped the top of the crossbar in the 16th minute, with the visitors putting together some good passing patterns – though Chiefs were a constant threat on the counter attack.
The Buccaneers continued to control ball possession, but picking their way through the Amakhosi’s defence was hard work, with centre-backs Daniel Cardoso and Eric Mathoho keeping tabs on the runs of lone striker Kwame Peprah.
Chiefs had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down by referee Victor Hlungwani, with Njabulo Ngcobo’s shot in a crowded penalty area clearly striking the hand of Thulani Hlatshwayo just past the half-hour mark.
Neither side asserted any dominance through the remainder of the first half, with possession changing hands too often for any rhythm or spells of pressure to be generated, and it was no surprise the scoreline was still blank at the break.
Chiefs soon capitalised on a poor mistake from Hlatshwayo and claimed the lead in the 49th minute. The Pirates captain tried a back-pass which only proved a perfect through ball for Khama Billiat to run onto, and he, in turn, teed up Keagan Dolly, who calmly stroked a shot beyond goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane for 1-0.
Pirates made four changes up to the 70th minute in an effort to shake things up, with Kabelo Dlamini, Bandile Shandu, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Tshegofatso Mabasa rising off the bench.
Chiefs looked to add to their tally from a one-on-one by Billiat ten minutes from time, but Mpontshane made a superb point-blank save.
The Buccaneers kept plugging away and struck back to level at 1-1 on 87 minutes. Dlamini’s cross from the right saw Mabasa head on target and be denied by goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, but Linda Mntambo latched onto the rebound and fired home.
The match looked set to end in a draw but, in injury time, Pirates conceded a silly penalty when defender Olisah Ndah pulled down Billiat. Dolly took the spot-kick and completed a brace to secure a 2-1 win for the Amakhosi… and gave them the derby bragging rights.
The win, Chiefs’ fourth of the season, moved them to fifth place on the log with 15 points while Pirates’ second defeat of the season kept them in seventh place.
Other DSTV Premiership Results:
Stellenbosch FC 0 – 0 Golden Arrows.