CHIEFS SEND FREE STATE STARS PACKING

The match started at a very low tempo with a header from Valerie Nahayo the only notable piece of activity in the first 5 minutes. Mr Nahayo was heavily involved in the first of a couple of dubious refereeing interventions that were dished up by this encounter. Nahayo clearly laid his hands on Aleni Lebyane in a very illegal manner, the referee chose not to see the blatant foul inside the box. As there were only about ten of them, the Ela Koto supporters` cries were not heard at all. Speaking of the crowd, it was yet another poorly attended game in the PSL. Looks like the World Cup took most of the fans back with it when it left our shores!


The game was played at a very low tempo with the home team enjoying the bulk of the possession. Knowledge Musona shot wide in the 26th minute, Chiefs wasted three free kicks and I thought I saw the national team coach dose off. Most of us were happy to hear the blundering referee blow for half time.

Kaizer Chiefs returned for the second half without Mthokosizi Yende, opting for the faster, more attacking Mandla Masango. The game progressed in pretty much the manner as the first stanza with Chiefs hogging the ball. The current darling of the Amakhosi faithfull, Knowledge Musona almost put the home team in front with a deft chip over Kennedy Mweene only to see Bageta Dikulu`s head the meet goal bound effort on the line. Warning served.

Then came what the Kaizer Chiefs` coach later called the crucial moment of the match. Free State Stars were awarded a free kick deep inside their opponents` half. Paulus Masehe met the ball with a sweetly timed volley in the little box producing one of the saves of the season from Arthur Bartman, in for Khune. Steve Khompela`s crucial moment involved the referee, whose name has evaded me for some reason. Those of you who watch the SABC will get it from Sylvester Ndaba as he tries to explain said referee`s eyebrow raising decisions. The ball went out of play for a throw in for Stars and because of something the referee had to attend to, he called for a bump ball. He then instructed the player from Free State Stars to kick the ball back into touch and not to the Chiefs keeper as the young man wanted. The player did this under protest and from the resultant throw in Mandla Masango went a 50m dash and crossed for substitute Sthembiso Ngcobo to ram home the first goal of the afternoon. Steve Khompela was not impressed. It was all downhill from there for the team from Bloemfontein. The mandatory Musona should have come soon after but the goal scoring machine managed to hit the upright post when scoring looked easier, but as has become customary for the Zimbabwean striker he put away a chance that was far more difficult to kill off the game. It was a glancing header of amazing technique from a corner to ensure that Kazier Chiefs will continue on their quest to defend their Telkom Knockout Cup.