Ricardo Nascimento sinks Chiefs in Chatsworth

This match may tell Arthur Zwane more about the need for Kaizer Chiefs to find more options up front as the forward line of Khama Billiat, Keagan Dolly and Ashley du Preez faded in the second half.

Chiefs are without an outright striker after parting ways with Samir Nurkovic, Lazarous Kambole and Leonardo Castro, who all struggled to score goals last season.

Zwane, a former Amakhosi star, took over coaching Chiefs as they failed to win silverware since winning the league title in May 2015. He has promised to revive Amakhosi.

The result against Royal — courtesy of a goal by defender Ricardo Nascimento — may not have been what Zwane desired in their opening Premiership match, but there were signs that with time and patience on the part of management and fans, he may be able to deliver what Amakhosi have missed in the last seven years.

Zwane will take consolation from the fact that his side dominated the match and, with a bit of luck, Amakhosi could have bagged three points. He will have to put the outcome quickly off his mind as Chiefs have two massive fixtures against Maritzburg United at home on Tuesday and away to reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria on Saturday.

The visitors were caught cold in the first minute of this game when Brazilian Nascimento finished off a loose ball Chiefs' defence failed to clear.

From that moment Chiefs created three clear-cut chances with five other attempts going wide in the first 45 minutes in which they dominated possession.

Zwane included four of Chiefs’ new signings in Zitha Kwinika, Siyethemba Sithebe, Yusuf Maart and attacking winger Ashley du Preez in his starting line-up. Du Preez was unlucky not to find the back of the net in the first half as he linked up well with Billiat and Dolly in attack.

Kwinika manned the central defensive area with Siyabonga Ngezana while Maart and Sithebe operated well in the middle of the park where Chiefs were able to take control of the proceedings after Nascimento’s early goal.

Royal goalkeeper Hugo Nyame was the busiest of the keepers, denying Billiat and Du Preez, while Nascimento cleared another Du Preez attempt off the line. The home side had two clear chances but Bruce Bvuma, in the Chiefs goal, did well to clear the danger.

The second half turned out to be a see-saw scramble, with both sides trying to catch each other on the counter. Royal were denied a chance to double the damage when Bvuma produced a brilliant point-blank save off Nascimento’s header from a set piece.

Man-of-the-Match Nyame was critical in keeping Royal ahead as he kept out a Sithebe shot after another good break by Zwane’s charges.