A late own goal from Olisa Ndah handed Kaizer Chiefs a 1-0 win over Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby on Saturday afternoon.
Soweto Derby
Result: Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Orlando Pirates
Date: 25 February 2023
Venue: FNB Stadium
Pirates brought two new faces into the line-up in the form of Paseka Mako and Vincent Pule, who joined Thembinkosi Lorch, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Monnapule Saleng in attack attack.
Chiefs, meanwhile, were boosted by the return of Edmilson Dove, with Christian Saile Basomboli supported by Ashley Du Preez, Mduduzi Shabalala and Keagan Dolly upfront.
The Buccaneers had a quick start as they forced Amakhosi to defend deep but they could not make their pressure count, especially after successive corners.
Arthur Zwane's charges took time to settle but got into the game midway through the first stanza as Du Preez had a good chance on 26 minutes after going through on goal but his shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Sipho Chaine.
As the game opened up, Lorch fancied his chance for the Buccaneers on a transition just before the interval with a dipping shot from outside the box that was tipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Brandon Petersen.
With the game brought to halt by the referee, tempers began to flare up as Dolly and Miguel Timm needed to be separated while making their down to the tunnel.
The Sea Robbers were forceful after the break, as they put Chiefs under pressure but they were caught on a swift counter-attack on the hour-mark and reduced to ten men after Innocent Maela was given a straight red card for bringing down Basomboli, who was going clear on goal on the edge of the box.
Pirates sacrificed Lorch in a tactical and defensive change after that, as they brought on Olisa Ndah to plug the gap left by Maela.
Amakhosi had the challenge of breaking down a low block by the Buccaneers and Zwane eventually made a tactical change with 15 minutes to go as Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana replaced Siyethemba Sithebe.
With the game on the balance, Chiefs finally broke the deadlock two minutes before time after Ndah scored an own goal by heading the ball over the advancing Chaine in the box after a long-ball from Dove.
The Sea Robbers tried to reply late on but goalkeeper Brandon Petersen was alert in goal to help Chiefs defend their win, which is their fifth in a row against their arch-rivals.
Kaizer Chiefs: 1. Petersen, 30. Ngezana, 2. Dove, 4. Kwinika, 23. Hlanti, 6. Sithebe, 8. Maart, 42. Shabalala, 10. Dolly, 9. Du Preez, 21. Salie
Subs: 32. Khune, 27. Ngcobo, 29. Dube, 19. Mashiane, 28. Bimenyimana, 33. Radebe, 14. Sekgota, 37. Zwane, 36. Duba
Orlando Pirates: 34. Chaine, 5. Sibisi, 27. Xoki, 23. Maela, 45. Pule, 29. Mako, 4. Timm, 15. Ndlondlo, 14. Saleng, 3. Lorch, 37. Dzvukamanja.
Subs: 40. Mpontshane, 2. Monyane, 49. Ndah, 36. Makhaula, 6. Motshwari, 32. Marou, 18. Dlamini, 7. Hotto, 95. Erasmus
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