sportskeeda
Kaizer Chiefs battled their way back to a thrilling 2-1 victory in the Betway Premiership with a hard-fought home win against Richards Bay at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday, moving up to sixth place in the table.
The Chiefs welcomed Bay at one of their alternative home grounds in Limpopo, marking their return to club football after a three-week international hiatus. Both teams utilized this period to improve their form, having failed to secure wins in their previous two league games.
The match began with high energy, featuring an intense contest between both teams, though the first ten minutes lacked urgency. Chiefs introduced a new but relatively stable midfield partnership with Sibongiseni Mthethwa making his season debut alongside Yusuf Maart.
After 20 minutes of searching, the Amakhosi finally found the breakthrough through 20-year-old Wandile Duba. A moment of magic from a well-executed short corner set Chiefs ahead, with Yusuf Maart delivering the ball into the box to an unmarked Duba, who skillfully slipped past the Bay defense to score his first of the season.
This opening goal made the match more evenly contested, with both sides sharing possession as the first half unfolded. Despite the early lead, the game appeared somewhat disorderly, with neither side effectively controlling the ball or establishing dominance.
With the score at 1-0 by the 40-minute mark, the ball frequently moved from end to end, as both teams struggled to create fluid offensive plays.
Chiefs went into halftime with a lead to defend, while the Natal Rich Boys headed to the dressing room to contemplate potential adjustments.
Just four minutes into the second half, Chiefs right-back Reeve Frosler received a second yellow card and was dismissed, leaving the team a player short early in the half.
In response to the numerical disadvantage, Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi sought to bolster the defense by substituting Pule Moodi for right-back Dillan Solomons.
A midfield adjustment occurred in the 55th minute, with Thulani Gumede and Siyethemba Sithebe being substituted off for Langelihle Mhlongo and Nkosikhona Ndaba to reinvigorate a struggling Chiefs defense.
At the same time, forward Justice Figuareido made way for Simphiwe Mcineka, completing a triple substitution.
Surprisingly, Chiefs found a second goal in the 74th minute when Maart provided another assist, this time for Ashley Du Preez. A precise through ball allowed Du Preez to execute a brilliant turn before calmly slotting it past goalkeeper Ina Otieno, giving the ten-man Chiefs a crucial cushion.
However, Yanela Mbuthuma managed to rise above the Chiefs’ defense and scored in the dying moments of the match, beating Brandon Petersen, who was making his first start in goal for the club.
Despite this, the Glamour Boys held on to their narrow lead to secure three points against a Richards Bay side that struggled to take advantage of their numerical superiority for the majority of the second half.
The pressure mounts on Bay coach Truter, whose squad has managed only one victory in league play this season.
