Amakhosi have now gone four Betway Premiership games in a row without a win.
Kaizer Chiefs’ struggles in front of goal continued on Wednesday as they laboured to a goalless Betway Premiership draw with Siwelele FC at FNB Stadium.
This was Amakhosi’s third consecutive home draw in the league, in a domestic season that is rapidly going absolutely nowhere.
Chiefs’ need to progress in the Caf Confederation Cup this weekend seemed to be in evidence as Etiosa Ighodaro was given his Amakhosi debut up front alongside Wandile Duba.
Duba had played only just over half an hour of football for Chiefs in the Premiership since the beginning of September.
Khanyisa Mayo dropped to the bench, as did Glody Lilepo, perhaps with Sunday’s second leg of their final Confederation Cup group stage qualifier against AS Simba in mind.
Siwelele threatened early as Gamphani Lungu got in behind the Amakhosi defence, but his low cross was cleared by Inacio Miguel.
Celtic should have gone in front in the 17th minute. Chiefs were exposed again down the left hand side as Lungu crossed and Brandon Peterson had to dive to his right to spectacularly keep out Chibuike Ohizu.
Chiefs then created a wonderful chance of their own in the 19th minute. Reeve Frosler sprung clear down the right and pulled the ball back for Mduduzi Shabalala, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Ricardo Goss.
Petersen’s heart must have stopped in the 23rd minute, as he put his hands up to catch a Vincent Pule cross, and almost dropped the ball over his own goal line.
In the 40th minute Frosler hit a long-range effort just over, but Chiefs were mostly labouring against their well-organised opponents.
Lilepo came on the field for Duba at the start of the second half, and he almost immediately had a chance, as Mfundo Vilakazi burst forward and played him in. But the DR Congo forward opted to cross and the danger was cleared.
A couple of minutes later, a chance fell to Zitha Kwinika from a set piece, but he blasted over the bar.
Lilepo should have scored in the 52nd minute after being played in by Bradley Cross, who had come on at half time for Inacio Miguel. But he failed to hit the target with a left-footed shot.
Not long after that, Ighodaro did well to find Shabalala, but Goss raced off his line to make the save.
In the 71st minute, Siwelele came close to scoring through two former Chiefs players. Substitute Christian Saile’s shot was tipped across his own goal by Petersen and Frosler just got back to clear the ball from under the nose of Tebogo Potsane.
