Kaizer Chiefs got back to winning ways in the Betway Premiership after defeating Stellenbosch FC 1-0 on Friday night.
Betway Premiership
Result: Stellenbosch FC 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 07 February 2025
Venue: Athlone Stadium
Chiefs made two changes from their draw against AmaZulu, as Gaston Sirino and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe were recalled in place of Mdudzui Shabalala and Bradley Cross.
Amakhosi enjoyed a perfect start to the after Makabi Lilepo opened the scoring with a towering header in the box from a cross by Sirino, opening his account for the campaign.
The Glamour Boys were more comfortable on the ball after that but were not in a hurry to create openings.
Chiefs increased the intensity of their attacks as they kept Stellies defending in their own half but they still did not have the aggression in the last third to trouble goalkeeper Sage Stephens.
Stellies were absorbing the pressure towards the end of the first stanza and could not get break attacks and Nasreddine Nabi's charges were happy to take a narrow lead to the break
The Soweto giants came back firing from the interval as Lilepo had two efforts repelled by Stephens within the first ten minutes.
The visitors continued to threaten to kill the game as 20 minutes before time Pule Mmodi had a strike from outside the box that missed narrowly wide.
Nabi was looking to hit Stellies with pace on transitions in the last ten minutes as Tebogo Potsane and Mduduzi Shabalala both came on for Sirino and Tashreeq Morris.
The Glamour Boys sat deep in the dying minutes and looked for chances to put the game to bed on counter-attacks and Mmodi had another chance to seal maximum points after he went through in the box but guided his shot over the crossbar.
Chiefs did enough in the end to return to winning ways as they completed a league double over Steve Barker's men and climbed up to fourth position in the standings.
Here's how they lined up:
Stellenbosch: 17. Stephens, 24. Moloisane, 45. Toure, 8. Nduli, 3. Mdaka, 6. Jurgens, 27. Jabaar, 15. Butsaka, 18. De Jong, 11. Phili, 34. Titus
Subs: 30. Masuluke, 2. Onyango, 7. Nku, 26. Mcaba, 55. Andrieas, 39. Abrahams, 28. Palace, 38. Philander, 5. Lekoloane
Kaizer Chiefs: 44. Bvuma, 24. Ditlhokwe, 39. Frosler, 84. Miguel, 14. Dortley, 8. Maart, 21. Cele, 10. Sirino, 13. Mmodi, 99. Lilepo, 40. Morris.
Subs: 35. Ntwari, 6. Blom, 19. Mashiane, 12. Ngcobo, 37. Zwane, 42. Shabalala, 11. Potsane, 7. Chivaviro, 38. Vilakazi
