Kaizer Chiefs returned to Betway Premiership action with a well-earned 2-1 victory over Richards Bay FC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Wednesday.
Wandile Duba opened his Betway Premiership scoring account for the season after 20 minutes with an exquisite finish before Ashely Du Preez doubled the lead in the 68th minute, after Reeve Frosler had been dismissed early in the second half. Yanele Mbuthuma pulled one back in stoppage time but it was too little too late.
The first half belonged almost entirely to Amakhosi, as they controlled proceedings from the first whistle. Despite Richards Bay’s low block congesting the penalty area, Chiefs looked bright, with the pace and sharpness of Duba and Du Preez causing problems for the visitors.
They ought to have been ahead even before Duba broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, making a difficult chance look easy as he gently guided Yusuf Maart’s wicked in-swinging cross just inside the far post on the volley.
With Chiefs in control the well-organised defence restricted Richards Bay to one half-chance that Somila Ntsundwana put wide.
Both Given Msimango and Bradley Cross will be disappointed that they did not add to the lead when presented with decent opportunities to punish the Rich Boys. However, Coach Nasreddine Nabi will have been happy with his team going into the break leading 1-0.
However, the second period got off to a bad start when Frosler, who had been booked after only two minutes in the first half, received a second in the 48th minute after his boot made contact with the face of Nkosikhona Ndaba.
The setback appeared to inspire Amakhosi and they were rewarded for their enterprise in the 68th minute when Du Preez finished off Maart’s low cross to give the skipper his second assist of the night and put the Glamour Boys into an unassailable position. Mbuthuma’s injury-time header was no more than a consolation and Chiefs deservedly took all three points.
The result takes them to 6th position in the Betway Premiership standings, with 10 points from six matches. They face Royal AM at the same venue on Saturday, 30 November, kicking off at 17:45.
