Chiefs spurn chances as they are held by AmaZulu at FNB

Kaizer Chiefs wasted an avalanche of chances as they were forced to come from behind to earn a 1-1 Betway Premiership draw against AmaZulu at FNB Stadium on Wednesday night. 

Chiefs had everything going their way in the first 45 minutes and could have gone to the break leading by more than three goals had they taken their chances, which included a penalty missed by attacker Godly Lilepo in the 30th minute. 

Lilepo was the main culprit, missing some sitters before Usuthu took the lead out of the blue in the 21st minute. Thandolwethu Ngwenya steered home a header from Andiswa Sithole’s cross to give Arthur Zwane’s team an unlikely lead.

Referee Thandolwethu Ndzanzeka awarded Chiefs what seemd a soft penalty on the half-hour when Usuthu left-back Riaan Hanamub had the ball bounce off his arm. Usuthu players protested, led by Taariq Fielies who earned a yellow card for his remonstrations.

Chiefs did well to bounce back from the setback of Lilepo failing to beat the brilliantly save of AmaZulu goalkeeper Darren Johnson. It took Mduduzi Shabalala’s deft finish from Pule Mmodi’s pass to restore parity the 32nd.

Mmodi was unlucky not to scored on the stroke of half time as his shot was needlessly tapped in by Khanyiso Mayo, who should have left the ball to roll in because he was offside.  

Chiefs continued to dominate in the second half with Mayo coming close to scoring on a few occasions while the visitors maintained their strategy of trying to catch Amakhosi on the break. In one of those rare attacks, Hanamub’s shot hit the side netting after beating Chiefs keeper Brandon Petersen, who was otherwise idle for most of the game. 

At the death man-of-the-match Johnson continued to save his side, denying Chiefs striker Flavio Silva. 

The point did not help either side, but it is fifth-placed Chiefs, winless in three league matches, who will most feel they lost two points.