Amakhosi win a Premiership game away to Stellenbosch for the fourth successive season.
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo’s well-struck free kick handed Kaizer Chiefs a fine start to the season with a 2-0 Betway Premiership win over ten-man Stellenbosch at Athlone Stadium on Sunday.
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Stellenbosch spent most of the game a man down after new signing Sivive Nkwali was sent off for a professional foul on Mduduzi Shabalala. And it was from that very set piece that Ngcobo curled in the first goal of the game.
Chiefs’ Lilepo seals it
Glody Lilepo sealed the win late in stoppage time from the spot after a foul on substitute Ashley Du Preez.
This was Chiefs’ fourth successive Premiership win away to Stellies, and they merited the victory at a packed Athlone Stadium. Stellies played bravely after going a man down, smashing the woodwork twice in a frenetic first half.
The away side, however, wasted a glut of chances in the second to put this game out of sight, before Lilepo finally struck.
Chiefs were without their head coach Nasreddine Nabi in Cape Town, the Tunisian rushing back home after his wife was involved in a serious road accident.
In his place, Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze took charge of their team, and their starting line-up sprung a few surprises.
Chiefs gave young striker Naledi Hlongwane his first official start in an Amakhosi shirt, with new signing Flavio Silva not even on the bench.
Hlongwane, who had an excellent 2024/25 campaign in the DStv Diski Challenge, was rewarded after impressing in pre-season. So was another young talent Aden McCarthy, who made just his second official appearance for Chiefs, partnering Inacio Miguel in central defence.
The game started with a flurry of corners for both sides, before Chiefs struck an earlyblow.
Nkwali sees red
Ngcobo’s pass released Shabalala, who went down under contact from Sivive Nkwali. This was Nkwali’s first start since joining Stellies from Cape Town Spurs this season.
But it lasted just 13 minutes, referee Eugene Mdluli swatting aside protests from Stellies players to brandish a red card.
Ngcobo truly twisted the knife, curling an excellent free kick past Sage Stephens.
Stellenbosch regrouped and swarmed at Chiefs, to the extent that at times it looked like it was the home team who had the man advantage.
Wandile Duba had to clear Enyinnaya Godswill’s header off the line, before Barker’s side hit the woodwork twice in a few minutes.
In the 23rd minute, Devin Titus cut inside and curled in a brilliant effort that Brandon Peterson tipped onto the post.
Sanele Barns then won a free kick for a foul by Duba. Barns had already scored a fine set piece in the MTN8 quarterfinal win over AmaZulu. And he was desperately unlucky here, as his curler beat Peterson but cannoned back off the post.
Chiefs close it out
Chiefs thought they had doubled their lead at the start of the second half as Glody Lilepo slotted home, but the assistant referee had his flag up for offside.
Stellenbosch seemed to tire in the second half, creating far less despite a raft of substitutions from Barker to try and freshen up his ten men.
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Duba ought to have doubled Chiefs’ lead but he blazed Shabalala’s cross over from close range. Lilepo did the same, and Chiefs were left to hope they would not pay for their profligacy.