Chiefs rack up eighth straight win

Kaizer Chiefs racked up an eighth successive Absa Premiership win by defeating Moroka Swallows 2-0 in a Soweto derby at the Dobsonville Stadium on Friday night.

The Amakhosi are now a full 10 points clear at the top of the league table and look very much on course to defend their championship crown.

Chiefs flew out of the starting blocks and opened the scoring in just the fourth minute of the match. Siphiwe Tshabalala put Kingston Nkhatha clean through on goal and the striker guided a low shot beyond goalkeeper Greg Etafia to make it 1-0.

Swallows were rocked by the early goal and could have been two down quickly thereafter, as Tshabalala skipped past a couple of challenges in the box before shooting just wide of Etafia’s left-hand post.

However, the Birds gradually settled down and found a good passing rhythm. On 24 minutes they almost forced an equaliser through the persistence of striker Edward Manqele, who troubled the Chiefs centre-backs and Itumeleng Khune, but could only shoot wide in the end.

The hosts started the second half strongly and almost forced an equaliser in the 49^th minute. Dikgang Mabalane whipped in a good cross from the right, Lerao Chabangu powered a header on target, but Khune made a good save to turn the ball around the post for a corner.

On 72 minutes Knowledge Musona made it 2-0 with a superbly finished goal. The striker was put through on goal by Reneilwe Letsholonyane, but initially slowed by a good challenge from Rudi Isaacs. However, Musona recovered his feet and coolly chipped the ball over the advancing Etafia into an unguarded net.

Swallows still had some threatening moments left in them, and on 79 minutes they forced a double save from Khune, who palmed away a stinging Chabangu volley before Nomvethe almost forced home on the rebound, only for the ‘keeper to intervene again.

Moroka Swallows 0

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2 (Nkhatha 4’, Musona 72’)

Swallows: Etafia, Isaacs, Cohen, Mungomeni, Mokgothu, Mbekile, Nergadze (Bereng 57’), Chabangu, Mabalane (Tsutsulupa 80’), Nomvethe, Manqele (Ogle 69’)

Chiefs: Khune, Gaxa, Mathoho, Mashamaite, Masilela (Gould 68’), Tshabalala (Masango 81’), Katsande, Letsholonyane, Lebese, Musona, Nkhatha (Nkosi 63’)

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