Staff Reporter.
Kaizer Chiefs started the new year with a 1-0 defeat away to Cape Town City in Betway Premiership action on Sunday evening.
The result saw Cape Town City – in their first match under returning ‘new’ coach Muhsin Ertugral – move up to 11th place on the log, and keep up their excellent recent record against Chiefs: the Citizens are now unbeaten in their last eight league matches (W6 D2) against the Soweto side.
As for Chiefs, this fourth league defeat of the season leaves them in seventh spot (just one point ahead of City) and they continue to search in vain for consistency.
City enjoyed greater control and attacking rhythm through the first half, though they struggled to create genuine chances with which to test Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma.
The visitors, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the break, but too often they made the wrong decisions in the final third and left the likes of Ashley du Preez and Mduduzi Shabalala isolated and frustrated.
Goalless at the break, and with the Citizens having enjoyed most of the possession through the first half, there was irony in them breaking the deadlock on 51 minutes via a counter attack, as they sprung away from a Chiefs corner and Darwin Gonzalez was able to run from inside his own half before stabbing a low shot past Bvuma for 1-0.
Chiefs responded by sending on Ranga Chivaviro, and then a triple change with 20 minutes to play which saw Bradley Cross, Mfundo Vilakazi and Samkelo Zwane introduced off the bench.
Vilakazi had an immediate threat of an equaliser, shooting on target directly from a free kick, but veteran City goalkeeper Darren Keet made a fine save to keep his side in the ascendancy.
That was as close as Chiefs came to an equaliser, with the Citizens able to hold out through the rest of the game and claim their fourth league win of the season.
The teams will return to Premiership action in midweek, with City hosting Orlando Pirates and Chiefs at home to Stellenbosch FC – both on Wednesday 8 January.
Meanwhile TS Galaxy remained unbeaten with Adnan Beganovic at the helm after they played out to a goalless draw with Magesi at the Mbombela Stadium and AmaZulu were unable to capitalise on their chances as they played to a goalless stalemate against Golden Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Betway Premiership..
Elsewhere Marumo Gallants and Richards Bay failed to get back to winning ways in the Betway Premiership this weekend after the two sides shared the spoils in a tense 0-0 draw at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Saturday night.