Kaizer Chiefs dropped Betway Premiership points for the first time since early March following Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Polokwane City FC at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
On an evening they fired blanks, it was two points dropped for the Soweto giants, who remain third on the table. They might be sad to register a draw but happy for a sixth unbeaten match in the league, although their five-game winless streak came to a halt.
While Chiefs now have 10 points fewer than log leaders Orlando Pirates, they have seven points more than fourth-placed AmaZulu FC. Amakhosi will be hoping their momentum will not be affected ahead of next weekend’s Soweto Derby showdown against the Buccaneers.
Despite throwing away two points at home, Rise and Shine’s hopes of a top-eight finish remain alive as they are seventh on the standings.
Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe dropped defender Bulelani Nikani for Lebohang Nkaki as the only change from the previous game against Chippa United. But his Chiefs counterparts Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef brought back Given Msimango in place of Inacio Miguel in central defence.
In central midfield, Siphesihle Ndlovu was surprisingly dropped for Thabo Cele, while the attackers were not tampered with and spearheaded by Flavio da Silva.
MISSED CHANCES AS CHIEFS STUMBLE AHEAD OF SOWETO DERBY
Glody Lilepo came close twice for Chiefs in the opening seven minutes, including drawing a good save from Polokwane goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula from a free kick. But Polokwane also made forays into the final third, where they were not clinical.
Mokibelo Ramabu then handed Brandon Petersen his first real test of the contest with a well-struck shot, which the Amakhosi captain brilliantly dived to save in the 27th minute.
With three minutes to the halftime break, Chiefs coaches were forced to withdraw Aden McCarthy, who had pulled his hamstring and in came Miguel.
Petersen was then called to make another fine save by Ramabu early into the second half, while Lilepo shaved the crossbar with a free kick with 15 minutes to go. No side found the breakthrough, and it ended goalless in Polokwane.
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