Timid Chiefs blow chance to fight for PSL second spot

Kaizer Chiefs’ chance of finishing second is now in serious jeopardy as they lost to a rejuvenated Sekhukhune United side at Peter Mokaba Stadium yesterday.

Sammy Seabi’s solitary goal sealed the deal for Babina Noko. Sekhukhune also beat Chiefs 1-0 in the first round of the season in January, meaning they have completed a league double over Amakhosi. With Sifiso Hlanti and Siyethemba Sithebe missing due to suspensions, Reeve Frosler and Cole Alexander respectively replaced them in the Chiefs starting XI. It was Cole Alexander’s first game since last October.

Chiefs nearly drew the first blood as early as the second minute but Ashely du Preez couldn’t compose himself, rushing to unleash a shot that went wide. Two minutes later, Sekhukhune broke the deadlock via Seabi’s tap-in after Chiefs had failed to clear their lines. 

Sekhukhune took the game to the visitors for the better part of the first stanza, using the speed of their wingers Elias Mokwana and Vusumuzi Mncube. The pair found joy mainly on the left side, where makeshift left-back Frosler was just struggling. Frosler, a natural right-back, hardly won any 1v1 battles against the Sekhukhune wingers, forcing centre-back Edmilson Dove to cover for him.

Dillan Solomons’s propensity of surging forward left Chiefs vulnerable at right-back too. Solomons had a few good moments where he used his pace to slice through the Sekhukhune defence but his final decision-making was always too poor. Solomons delivered a number of overcooked crosses.

What also helped Sekhukhune a great deal was the composure of experienced Kamohelo Mokotjo in the middle of the park. The former Bafana Bafana midfielder cooled things down whenever Chiefs tried to play in high tempo. Mokotjo and his midfield partner Seabi were just brilliant, keeping it to basics, while Chiefs’ midfield trio of Samkelo Zwane, Yusuf Maart and Alexander complicated things by not releasing the ball early enough.

It was simply not Chiefs’ day as even when they introduced the likes of Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana and Mduduzi Shabalala they never really looked like scoring.  To sum it up, the Chiefs attackers couldn’t unlock the Sekhukhune defence.