Sundowns crush Chiefs

So, only Nasir Ahmed produced some magical football here, the Ethiopian striker announcing himself to SA’s professional football with a delightful strike.

It was otherwise courtesy of Kaizer Chiefs’ central defender Siyabonga Ngezana’s two awful mistakes that gifted defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns a 4-0 victory, their second in three DStv Premiership matches.

But Ahmed’s sealer was the goal that stole the show, the frail-looking striker toying with the Chiefs defence after coming on as a second-half substitute before beating Chiefs’ keeper Bruce Bvuma with a low shot.

Ngezana’s capitulation was a firm reminder to Chiefs fans — who made up the majority of the 51,000 people that packed the venue — that their team is still vulnerable and short of quality players who deserve wearing their famous gold and black jersey.

Without much provocation Ngezana, who has always been suspect when it comes to basics, made his first grave error just six minutes into this game. The Chiefs defender had plenty of time and space to trap a simple back pass but his first touch went up in the air and with Sundowns’ attacker Gaston Sirino approaching, he panicked and couldn’t push a second touch out of his boots.

Ngezana’s poor pass didn’t reach Bvuma as Sirino gladly intercepted to score the easiest goal he has slotted for the Brazilians since his arrival here from Uruguay in 2017.

The nightmare was not over for Chiefs as Ngezana produced another terrible error, this time fouling Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile inside the area just 11 minutes after committing the first blunder. Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane was patient, keeping Ngezana until the break before relieving him and putting on Njabulo Ngcobo.

The changes didn’t help, as Shalulile was given another easy chance to extend the lead just eight minutes into the second stanza, exchanging passes with Themba Zwane before planting the ball past a hapless Bvuma.

But Ngezana’s mistakes, Ahmed’s stupendous goal and Sundowns’ revealing the signing and return of Bafana Bafana midfielder Bongani Zungu seconds before kick-off, remained the highlight of this match.

Amakhosi came to the match in high spirits and their fans flooded the venue, hoping their team will maintain the form they showed in their first two matches.

Chiefs failed, however, to maintain the promise and their bad day in the office was capped by star striker Khama Billiat failing to beat Ronwen Williams from the penalty spot after Teboho Mokoena fouled Kgaogelo Sekgota five minutes before the hour mark.

Chiefs didn’t have as much space as they had in their 3-0 home victory against Maritzburg United on Wednesday. Midfielders Yusuf Maart and Siyethemba Sithebe struggled with the pace of the game and couldn’t locate Billiat and captain Keegan Dolly with their passes.

The defeat shows that Chiefs still need to shore up their depth in all departments to come anywhere close to the level of Sundowns, who won five successive league titles while Chiefs collected no silverware for six seasons.

Clearly coach Zwane needs a striker of a different stature to that of Billiat and Ashley du Preez, who missed this match because of injury.

The Brazilians came to this match under some pressure after their shock 1-0 midweek defeat to TS Galaxy. But this being a team which has had few changes from last season, the recovery was expected to be quick no matter who their opponents were.

With Ahmed and Zungu the new additions at Sundowns, it doesn’t look like there will be a team that will disturb them on their march to a sixth successive crown, which will be a 13th league title overall in 27 PSL campaigns.

Zwane remains a good coach for Chiefs but this match and its result showed that he will need a lot of support from Chiefs management to make an impact. Chiefs deserve players of better quality than Ngezana; but in all fairness the entire team just couldn’t keep up with Sundowns.