Kaizer Chiefs recorded their first points of the 2022/23 DStv Premiership season on Tuesday night, after a 3-0 victory over Maritzburg United at the FNB Stadium.
The Glamour Boys got off to a bright start, creating a couple of goal scoring opportunities in the first five minutes of the game. In breaking the deadlock, Ashley du Preez opened his account for the club after capping off a swift passing move.
Arthur Zwane’s side took charge of the game around the 15 minute mark, as they passed the ball around with accuracy and assurance. At the same time, Chiefs were comfortable in surrendering the ball and organised themselves out of possession.
Chiefs doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute, after persistent pressing by Yusuf Maart on the Maritzburg defence. In being forced to backtrack, Keagan Dolly latched onto a loose pass on the edge of the visitor’s area and subsequently found the back of the net with a swerving effort.
The Team of Choice nearly pulled one back in the 31st minute, as Friday Samu unleashed a thunderous effort that rattled Bruce Bvuma’s crossbar.
John Maduka’s side began seeing more of the ball as the first half reached its closing stages, winning a couple of set-pieces in the opposition half.
Samu came close to scoring again, this time the 42nd minute, with his left-footed shot inside the Chiefs area going narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s right.
The referee called time on the first 45, with Chiefs heading into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Chiefs began the second-half on a positive note, finding spaces on either flank with Reeve Frosler and Dillon Solomons advancing in the opposition half.
Bvuma was summoned to make a telling save just before the hour mark, after Keegan Ritchie looked to get his name on the scoresheet via a free-kick attempt on the edge of the Chiefs box.
While Chiefs opted to take the game to Maritzburg in the first-half with calculated pressing, Zwane’s troops kicked into game-management mode in the second 45. Amakhosi found themselves retreating with around 15 minutes to go, in an attempt to protect their lead.
The crowd at the FNB Stadium were treated to one more goal before the final whistle, as 18-year-old Mduduzi Shabalala got his name on the scoresheet in the 94th minute.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 3 (du Preez 5′, Dolly 22’, Shabalala 90+4’)
Maritzburg United 0
Chiefs: Bvuma, Solomons, Ngezana (Ngcobo 93’), Kwinika, Frosler, Matlou (Ngcobo 46’), Sithebe (Blom 80’), Maart, Du Preez (Shabalala 86’), Dolly (Sekgota 80’), Billiat
(Maritzburg: Ndlovu, Makume, Ndengane, Mashikinya (Baloyi 87’), Sam, Theron, Human (Palace 46’), Ritchie, Soukouna (Conco 46’), Samu (Kimvuidi 46’), Macheke (Skelem 46’)
© Backpage TXT
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