Staff Reporter.
Kaizer Chiefs secured a 2-0 victory over Maritzburg United in their final DStv Premiership clash of the year.
Chiefs assistant coach Arthur Zwane made four changes to his starting line-up with Khama Billiat, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Njabulo Ngcobo and Phathutshedzo Nange coming into the side while Marcel Engelhardt and Clayton Daniels returned for the visitors.
The win sees Chiefs move into third place currently with fourth-placed Orlando Pirates entertain fifth-place AmaZulu on Thursday evening.
After a tedious thirty minutes,Chiefs finally broke the deadlock as Njabulo Blom latched onto through ball from Keagan Dolly.
He darted forward before pulling the trigger on a low cross towards Billiat, and the Zimbabwean tapped the ball into the back of the net from close range.
Dolly was once again the architect when a chance came to increase Chiefs’ lead as his deep-lying cross from the right flank was perfectly timed for Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya.
However, the 26-year-old scuffed his strike without knowing that he had ample time to control the ball to ensure he hit the target.
Team of Choice could not have asked for a better chance to equalise when the match resumed after the half-time break.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane latched onto a loose ball in Chiefs’ penalty area, but goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi efficiently handled the Bafana Bafana striker’s attempted chip-kick.
Minutes later, the away side would hit the post from a Keegan Ritchie corner-kick, which caught Chiefs by surprise.
The Team of Choice continued to search for an equalising goal, but Chiefs maintained good composure despite losing Njabulo Ngcobo through injury, with Cole Alexander replacing the player.
However Chiefs doubled the lead with ten minutes to go. Billiat did well to win the ball back on the edge of Maritzburg’s box and slipped in Ngcobo on the right-hand side of the box and he cut inside before curling a brilliant strike into the top left-hand corner.
Daylon Claasen forced a save out of Akpeyi in stoppage time with a strike from range, as Chiefs kept a cleansheet.