At FNB Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs made light work of TS Galaxy to garner their fourth successive league victory for the first time this season and also consolidated their third spot on the table here on Sunday afternoon.
Flavio Silva and Glody Lilepo were on target for Amakhosi, who won the game 2-0 to extend the Rockets’ winless streak in the league to nine matches.
Having missed Chiefs’ last five league matches after an appendix operation late in February, skipper Brandon Petersen made his return to the starting XI, benching Bruce Bvuma, who had played all the games he missed.
Chiefs dominated the first half with midfielder Lebohang Maboe and playmaker Mduduzi Shabalala running the show. The pair were all over the pitch. And it was no surprise when Shabalala’s brilliant cross in the 35th minute was headed home by Silva to break the deadlock.
Before delivering the perfect cross, Shabalala utilised his pace to eliminate a few Galaxy defenders. Flavio missed a glorious one-on-one chance with the Galaxy keeper, Ira Tapé, just 14 minutes before he redeemed himself by scoring the opener. Bradley Cross was also fantastic at left-back, shutting down Galaxy’s tricky winger Seluleko Mahlambi.
Surprisingly, Amakhosi benched Shabalala for Ethan Chislett just before the half-hour mark in what was a double change as Wandile Duba was also taken off for Asanele Velebayi.
The match was temporarily halted due to floodlight failure in the 65th minute. As if the power outage wasn’t disruptive enough, it also started raining heavily after the game was paused.
After a nearly 30-minute stoppage, action resumed. The hosts would double their lead in the 74th minute when substitute Sibongiseni Mthethwa teed up Lilepo, who had to outmuscle and outpace Galaxy defender Veluyeke Zulu before he swerved the ball to beat onrushing keeper Tapé just outside the box.
Sowetan
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