Goals by Ryan Moon and debutant Leonardo Castro gave Kaizer Chiefs a 2-1 victory against Baroka at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.
The hosts got off to a brighter start of the two teams and should have taken the lead in the ninth minutes, but Olaleng Shaku cleared Gustavo Paez’s effort off the line.
Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune ensured that the scores remained level two minutes later when he kept out Robin Ngalande’s powerful left-footed effort.
Baroka began to dominate proceedings and became guilty of wasting golden opportunities following another missed opportunity by Shaku.
The home side were not too be denied again as Lucky Nguzana pounced on Talent Chawapiwa’s strike off the upright to put his side ahead.
Chiefs responded with their an attack of their own and were unfortunate not to have equalised when Ryan Moon’s acrobatic header went wide of the mark following some good interplay by George Maluleka.
Baroka managed to maintain their one-goal lead as they went into the half-time break with the score at 1-0.
Moon managed to restore matters moments after the half-time break when he headed in Siphiwe Tshabalala’s pin-point ball into the area.
Steve Komphela opted to withdraw Tshabalala in the 59th minute and brought on Siphelele Ntshangase. Komphela went for the final roll of the dice as Dumisani Zuma and debutant Leonardo Castro was brought on for Paez and Moon respectively.
Things went from bad-to-worse for Chiefs after they were reduced to ten-men in the 73rd minute after Joseph Molangoane was shown a straight red for an elbow to his opponent.
Debutant Castro announced himself to the Chiefs faithful when he latched onto a ball from Ntshangase before unleashing an unstoppable rocket.
Chiefs could’ve added to their lead moments later, but wailed to do so as they ran out 2-1 victors against a resilient Baroka outfit.
Baroka XI: 16. Vries, 2. Kgoetyane, 24. Banda, 6. Shaku, 29. Mohwatseleng, 14. Mosele, 8. Mdantsane, 7. Chawapiwa, 11. Matloga, 17. Ngalande, 9. Nguzana.
Chiefs XI: 16. Khune, 4. Cardoso, 20. Hadebe, 3. Mathoho, 22. Zulu, 23. Molangoane, 13. Katsande, 12. Maluleka, 14. Tshabalala, 29. Moon, 9. Páez.
-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za
