Kaizer Chiefs endured a nightmare performance under Coach Nasreddine Nabi, suffering a 4-1 defeat at the hands of struggling SuperSport United in their Betway Premiership match at the rain-drenched FNB stadium on Tuesday night.
The match saw two former Chiefs players, Samir Nurkovic and Christian Saile, deliver the key blows, with Nurkovic scoring early on and Saile netting after Kaizer Chiefs briefly equalized through Glody Lilepo’s header.
SuperSport extended their lead with goals from Giamphani Lungu and Siphesihle Ndlovu, while Chiefs also faced the setback of a red card for Gaston Sirino following a violent incident.
SuperSport United’s coach, Gavin Hunt, must have been pleased with the outcome, especially given his past association with Kaizer Chiefs.
A Rough Start Kaizer Chiefs struggled from the outset, with their usual smooth passing game hindered by a heavy pitch that slowed the ball down. They were punished early in the match, as Bradley Cross lost track of Lungu, who set up Nurkovic for an easy goal just two minutes into the game.
Despite a near-miss in the 17th minute when Rushwin Dortly cleared a shot off the line, Chiefs gradually found their rhythm. They equalized in the 30th minute thanks to Lilepo’s well-placed header, but only for a brief moment, as SuperSport responded almost immediately. Nurkovic’s cross found Saile, who made it 2-1.
Chiefs pressed for an equalizer but were unable to capitalize on opportunities as Sirino’s shot was saved and Inacio Miguel missed a header from a corner.
More Setbacks After the Break In the second half, Chiefs came out with more intent, with Taashriq Morris having two close chances. However, their hopes were dashed in the 63rd minute when another wide cross led to a goal from Lungu after Bvuma mishandled the ball.
Things worsened for Chiefs as Sirino received a red card for a rash challenge on Lungu, leaving the team with only 10 players. A free-kick off the bar and a last-minute goal from Ndlovu sealed the game, with Chiefs now trailing 4-1.
The Aftermath The heavy defeat saw Kaizer Chiefs drop to sixth in the standings with 25 points from 18 matches. They are now 17 points behind league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and are desperately fighting to maintain an MTN8 spot.
With a difficult match against Sundowns on the horizon, Nabi and his team face further pressure to improve their form.
