Chiefs and Pirates share spoils

Orlando Pirates 1 ( 14. Lekgwathi 63 min) Kaizer Chiefs 1 ( 9. Djiehoua 42 min)

Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Premier Soccer League
28th April 2007
Kick Off: 15h15
Temperature: 12.4 ° C

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates played out a 1-1 draw at the Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday afternoon, on reflection the result was a fair one as both teams created the opportunities to have won the game.

Chiefs took the lead close to the end of the first half thanks to some nifty footwork from Serge Djiehoua who tucked away a difficult chance, Pirates were let back into the game in the second half when Lucky Lekgwathi found an equalizer off a Bennett Chenene corner. It was a goal which Chiefs could have prevented, a clash on the line between goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez and Ditheko Mototo allowed the ball to roll over the line and into the net.

The first chance of the afternoon came the way of Chiefs striker David Radebe after just three minutes of play, when Arthur Zwane broke down the right flank after the Chiefs defence had foiled a Pirates attack. Zwane beat his marker and played a cross towards Radebe who jumped through the air and met the ball which passed Francis Chansa, instead of hitting the back of the net Radebe could only find the side netting. A minute on and Benedict Vilakazi spurned the opportunity to give his team the lead, as Patrick Mayo failed to properly clear his line the diminutive Pirates midfielder disposed. Vilakazi tried to bring the ball under control, but was unable to fully control it and from inside the Chiefs six yard area he managed to miss the target as effort on goal flew over Fernandez.

Pirates managed to conjure up a string of decent short passes which culminated with Jabu Mahlangu being set free on the right, Mahlangu wasted no time in knocking a ball towards the far post. Where he found team mate team mate Mulondo Sikhwivhilu lurking the former Blacks player could both direct his header, and headed the ball wide of Rowen Fernandez this action occurred in the 31st minute of play. As half time approached Serge Djiehoua was brought down by Innocent Mdledle on the right flank a few meters into the Pirates half of the field, Chiefs were awarded a free kick and Djiehoua picked himself up and moved towards the Pirates goal. In the mean time Fabian McCarthy lined up to take the free kick and sent a deep searching ball into the Pirates 18 yard area, with Siyabonga Nkosi heading it forward and found Serge Djiehoua who controlled the ball with his chest before turning and hitting the ball on the volley past Francis Chansa to put Chiefs ahead. It was a lead that Chiefs held onto going into the halftime break leading by a goal to nil.

Pirates had most of the possession in the second half and began to look for an equalizer as soon as the game was restarted, Onyekachi Okonkwo did all the hard work and passed a ball down the centre to Manuel Bucuane he was beaten to the ball by Rowen Fernandez who managed to palm it to Fabian McCarthy who cleared the danger. On the hour mark David Obua produced the highlight of the match, when he was the fortunate recipient of a short Arthur Zwane pass. Obua let the ball roll in front of him before sweetly striking the ball with the outside of his boot, the ball flew past Chansa and crashed on the under side of the cross bar. Obua and a number of his teams were the opinion that the ball had crossed the line, but the referee was having none of it and let the game continue.

On sixty three minutes Pirates substitute Bennett Chenene knocked in a corner from the right, which Lucky Lekgwathi headed towards goal at first it looked as though Rowen Fernandez had the ball under control. That was until Ditheko Mototo knocked into Fernandez and some how the ball managed to squeeze between the two Chiefs players who were standing on the line and rolled into the back of the net. With ten minutes to go Rowen Fernandez was called into action when Fabian McCarthy knocked over Excellent Walaza Chenene picked up the lose ball, the referee waved play on and Chenene moved into the danger zone and went for the glory. Fernandez who had ran off his line put his hands in front of his face and managed to block the ball and got rid of the danger.

The game was not as exciting and did not hold the same dramatic twist as was the case when the teams met earlier in the season in December last year, the result was a good one for Pirates it certainly did not do any favours for Chiefs. Who now need to win their remaining two games of the season if they are to qualify and try and launch a successful defence of their SAA Supa8 crown.

Line Up’s:

Orlando Pirates: 44. F. Chansa, 14. L. Lekgwahi, 19. I. Mdeledle, 17. S. Lehlohonolo, 32. L. Thwala, 28. O. Okonkwo, 15. B. Vilakazi, 40. R. Ramudzuli, 11. J. Mahlangu (42. Chenene 56 min), 39. M. Sihhwivhilu, 09. M. Bucuane (8. Walaza 55 min)
Substitutes: 01. A. Phali, 46. T. Coyle, 33. T. Chabalala, 38. B. Cashibe, 42. B. Chenene, 41. J. Merahe, 08. E. Walaza
Coach: Kalambay Mutombo

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 33. D. Mototo, 6. F. McCarthy, 21. P. Mayo, 18. A. Zwane, 13. D. Obua (11. Ngobese 68 min), 8. T. Nengomasha, 28. D. Spencer, 31. D. Radebe ( 25. Schalkwyk 74 min), 9. S. Djiehoua (22. Kilambe 53 min)
Substitutes: 32. I. Khune, 11. E. Ngobese, 25. G. Schalkwyk, 12. T. Mooki, 44. S. Mkhonza, 24. D. Mathebula, 22. R. Kilambe
Coach: Kostadin Papic

Cautions: Orlando Pirates:, Yellow Cards, 19. Innocent Mdledle 41 min Kaizer Chiefs, Yellow Cards, 8. Tinashe Nengomasha 26 min, 28. Derrick Spencer 56 min

Officials:
Referee: Mahlomola Nhlapho
Assistant1: Sandile Dilikane
Assistant 2: Livhuwani Netshion Golwe
4th Official: Baitse Manca

Amakhosi go down to Santos

Santos 3 ( 11. Scott 12 min, 9.Rodgers 46 min, 7. Chapman 80 min )
Kaizer Chiefs 1 ( 33. Mototo 4 min)
Eastern Province Rugby Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Premier Soccer League
22 April 2007
Kick Off: 15h15
Temperature: 24° C

Kaizer Chiefs lost a league game to Santos for the first time since 1998 as they went down 3-1 to the Capetonians, at Port Elizabeth’s Eastern Province Rugby Stadium. Despite taking an early lead through some quick thinking by Ditheko Mototo who used his head to give Chiefs the advantage in the fourth minute, Santos were able to come back and with goals from Roman Scott, Eleazar Rodgers and a third from Substitute Ryan Chapman the ABSA Cup semi – finalists were able to win the game comfortably.

Chiefs had two set pieces in the fourth minute and attacked the Santos goal with copy cat moves; in the first instance Gerald Sibeko floated a free kick from the left deep towards the Santos back post. Where David Obua was lurking the lanky Obua rose to head the ball across goal towards Shaun Bartlett, whose first time shot was blocked by a Santos player and flew out for a corner. From the ensuing corner Sibeko again played a ball to the back post, where once again he found the head of David Obua who headed the ball down wards as Wayne Roberts came out for the ball Ditheko Mototo dived in and headed the ball over the line to give Chiefs the lead.

Three minutes after that and Chiefs charged up the field quickly after successfully defending a Santos corner, Louis Agyemang set Obua free on the right who instantly sped goal wards and unleashed a powerful shot which was a Santos player managed to deflect away from goal. The rebound though fell to Siyabonga Nkosi lurking on the far side of the Santos penalty area; his shot though failed to find the target and went across the face of goal and wide.

In the twelfth minute Santos broke down a Chiefs attack and launched one of their own down the centre, Romano Scott received a pass along the ground and with justice Fernandez in front of him he knocked the ball under the Chiefs keeper to level matters. Six minutes on and Fernandez was called into action again this time around the Chiefs keeper came out trumps, when he was able to turn away a well timed volley by Thembile Kanono from the edge of the Chiefs 18 yard area.

Eleven minutes before the interval Louis Agyemang managed to fight off the towering figure of Sebastian Bax and sent a ball across the Santos goal where David Obua’s first time shot was blocked. The ball flew in the direction of Derrick Spencer who raced to the ball and hit it first time, Spencer shot flew just wide of Robert’s goal. Three minutes before half time Santos launched another attack Eleazar Rodgers from the left wing inside the Chiefs 18 yard area played a ball to his team mate Kanono lurking on the opposite end. From inside the Chiefs six yard area Kanono could only manage to side foot the ball wide of Rowen Fernandez, to ensure that the teams left the field at half time tied at 1-1.

Chiefs began the second half in the worst possible way conceding a goal from the restart, after Santos got the second half up and running they managed to get the ball to Kanono on the left. In turn he played in team mate Rodgers who did well to control the ball with his chest before shooting firing the ball past Rowen Fernandez and into the roof of the net to put Santos ahead in the game.

Just past the hour mark Santos striker Eleazar Rodgers played his team mate Mogogi Gabonamong into space, within shooting distance of Fernandez goal he let rip goal wards Rowen Fernandez judged the ball well and at full stretch kept the ball out. From that broken Santos attack The Amakhosi launched an attack of their own, Shaun Bartlett sent Serge Djiehoua on his way with a pass that caught Santos napping. Djiehoua in acres of space wasted time in dispatching the ball goal wards, by the time he did take his shot Santos had gotten enough man back and managed to block the danger.

On seventy six minutes Ditheko Mototo came close to leveling the scores when his down header off an Arthur Zwane corner from the left bounced over Wayne Roberts, and went agonizingly close to hitting the target but missed by inches. Santos made sure of the win with nine minutes to go when substitute Ryan Chapman who was hardly on the field for thirty seconds, was the lucky recipient of a short pass and managed to stick the ball past Fernandez.

Siyabonga Nkosi thought that he had found a way back for Chiefs with a superbly taken free kick, from the edge of the area Nkosi floated the ball over the Santos wall and beyond Roberts. Unfortunately for him the referee had ruled that it was and indirect free kick, in injury time Nkosi try his luck with another free kick this time in line with the Santos goal. He was able to again get the better of the wall but not Roberts who pulled off a superb stop as he dived across the length of the goal to push the ball wide.

Refereeing inconsistencies apart The Amakhosi were not at their best during this game and failed to capitalize on the chances that came their way, in addition they lost possession in key areas at important times and were made to pay a heavy price. Kosta Papic will need to ensure that his team win their remaining three games of the seasons, failure to do so could result in Chiefs finishing outside the top eight.

Line Up’s:

Santos: 1. W. Roberts, 23. E. Burton, 2. M. Otieno (13. Hendricks 86 min), 16. W. Arendse, 3. T. R. October, 6. S. Bax, 4. M. Gabonamong, 10. T. Kanono (7. Chapman 79 min), 8. T. Ngomeni, 11. R. Scott (25. Selolwane 73 min), 9. E. Rodgers

Substitutes: 30. J. Barnard, 20. C. Bianchi, 19. O. Hendricks, 25. D. Selolwane, 21. K. Mathopa, 13. J. Hendricks, 7. R. Chapman

Coach: Roger Da Sa

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau, 6. F. McCarthy, 44. S. Mkhonza, 13. D. Obua (11. Ngobese 71 min), 33. D. Mototo, 10. S. Nkosi, 28. D. Spencer, 27. G. Sibeko (18. Zwane 58 min), 20. L. Agyemang (9. Djiehoua 63 min), 17. S. Bartlett

Substitutes:

32. I. Khune, 24. D. Mathebula, 11. E. Ngobese, 9. S. Djiehoua, 12. T. Mooki, 21. P. Mayo, 18. A. Zwane

Coach: Kosta Papic

Cautions: Santos, Yellow Cards, 10. Thembilie Kanono 37 min Kaizer Chiefs, Yellow Cards, 2. Jimmy Tau 13 min, 27. Gerald Sibeko 17 min, 10. S. Nkosi 38 min, 17. Shaun Bartlett 40 min

Officials:

Referee: Miss D. Mitchell
Assistant 1: Mr. L. Chalambisa
Assistant 2: Mr. L. Bolo
4th Official: Mr. J. Frolick
Match Commissioner: Mr. S. Swart

Flying below the radar

*sigh* It's been some hectic year and we only on the 4th month. I've been caught up in situations, contemplating on the next move i should be making. Now that we out out the Bermuda triangle, it will most probably be smooove sailing. From early days of Jan 07 i hooked up with this ensemble of session musicians and boy did i have a ball! They mostly played standards, your jazzy grooves mixed with Afro funk, then along came the original boboshanti, BlackModz. I&I wanted to be a rap star but the effort of memorizing 160 bars of rhymes was a tad much to ask so i opted to stick to my daily IT job in Business Intelligence. Meeting these guys was a true eye opener, i mean there i was, graced by the presence of musical graduates, arrangers, composers, producers and most importantly splendid artists. I can't even read a score, let alone tell you if that's a C-sharp or an E-minus but i came with my own value to be added, i was gonna be counted.

Being of a dj-ing background, i was quickly made the "soundguy". yeah. silly, tedious job u may think but it's awesome. I get to tell them i don't like how they sound, me the soundguy. :-)
I'm the ear.I'm the one voice that interrupts rehearsals because the base guitarist is loosing the tempo or the pianist is torturing his solo. I have the authority. Me the SoundGuy. I introduced some reggae flavor and we let the motherfucker burn. Burn i said. Last week we did a corporate gig at MTN and rocked too damn much. me thinks much about this band. We'll go places. Keep ya eyes glued on this corner...pix will come.

One thing i know is that i will make it.whatever it is, i WILL.

OneLove.