Kaizer Chiefs’ struggles continued in the Betway Premiership on Sunday as they suffered a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Lamontville Golden Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The Soweto giants’ inability to capitalize on their chances in front of goal proved costly, as they fell to another loss under coach Nasreddine Nabi. This defeat marked their fifth in the league this season, further highlighting their ongoing inconsistency.
The match was a frustrating one for Chiefs, who had several opportunities to take the lead early on. In the 10th minute, Tebogo Potsane squandered a great chance, sending his effort over the bar. Just four minutes later, in-form forward Wandile Duba came close to scoring, but Golden Arrows’ Gladwin Shitolo made a crucial clearance off the line to deny Chiefs the advantage.
In the 35th minute, goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma was called into action and produced a crucial save to keep Chiefs in the game. However, the best chance of the first half fell to Mduduzi Shabalala. After slipping past Golden Arrows keeper Ismail Watenga, Shabalala’s shot was cleared off the line by Nduduzo Sibiya in the 37th minute, summing up Chiefs’ poor execution in front of goal. Just before halftime, Inacio Miguel missed an open chance in the 44th minute, adding to Chiefs’ growing frustrations.
The second half saw more missed opportunities. In the 48th minute, Ranga Chivaviro failed to convert a clear chance, continuing the theme of wastefulness for Chiefs. As the match wore on, Golden Arrows capitalized on Chiefs’ missed chances. In the 56th minute, Shitolo made them pay by scoring the only goal of the match, putting Arrows 1-0 up. Chiefs’ former Golden Arrows defender, Bradley Cross, also had a chance to equalize but missed a header later in the game.
Despite the loss, Kaizer Chiefs remain in the hunt for a spot in continental football next season, though their inconsistent form this campaign has made it an uphill battle. With several more matches to play, the Glamour Boys will need to find more consistency if they are to qualify for international competition and end their season on a positive note.
