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The controversial decision in a cold Orlando stadium in Soweto allowed the Chiefs to stay ahead of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns on goal difference, plus 21 against plus 18.
Kaizer Chiefs defeated Chippa United 1-0 in their Premiership Absa match at Orlando Stadium on September 2, 2020. Image: @ KaizerChiefs / Twitter
PRETORIA – A refereeing error helped Kaizer Chiefs beat nine-man Chippa United 1-0 on Wednesday and stay atop the South African Premiership table on goal difference with one round remaining.
The match referee awarded the Chiefs a free kick 11 minutes from time as he believed veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune had been fouled while trying to clear a corner kick.
But television replays showed that no Chippa player made contact with the plug before it fell, and the shot from Zimbabwean Elvis Moyo that found the net should have been a goal.
“It was a goal,” said television analyst and former South Africa forward Mark Williams, and retired Chiefs captain and fellow studio guest Jimmy Tau agreed.
The controversial decision in a cold Orlando stadium in Soweto allowed the Chiefs to stay ahead of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns on goal difference, plus 21 against plus 18.
Both clubs have 56 points from 29 games and will face clubs struggling to avoid relegation in the final round this Saturday when the league reaches its climax.
The Chiefs face the penultimate Baroka in Johannesburg and the Sundowns play at the same time in Soweto against Black Leopards, who are third from the bottom.
In South Africa, the goal difference is the first tiebreaker if clubs finish tied on points, followed by goals scored.
Chippa’s disallowed goal eclipsed Zimbabwean Khama Billiat, who scored his first goal since last September to win the match.
Billiat, reportedly the highest-paid Premiership star with a monthly salary of roughly 500,000 rand ($ 30,000 / 25,000 euros), attacked after nine minutes.
‘A HAND ON THE TROPHY’
Eric Mathoho did an excellent crossing while he was well marked and Serbian Samir Nurkovic nodded at the mouth of the goal for Billiat to tap on the far post.
Chippa got Tercious Malepe a red card for a foul on the last defender in the 67th minute and Moyo was sent off with two minutes of regulation time left for a tack tackle.
“It wasn’t easy tonight, but we got all three points and we’re at the top of the table with one game to play,” said Chiefs center-back and man of the game Daniel Cardoso.
“We have a hand on the trophy and we must recover tomorrow, train on Friday and hopefully win on Saturday.”
As the Chiefs battled for a win over 12th-ranked Chippa, Sundowns kept hopes alive for a third consecutive Premiership title by beating bottom side Polokwane City 3-0 in Pretoria.
Uruguayan playmaker Gaston Sirino was involved in goals from Anele Ngcongca and Themba Zwane late in the first half that gave Sundowns a two-goal lead at halftime.
Substitute Keletso Makgalwa completed the scoring in injury time to leave Polokwane with little hope of coming off the bottom and dodging relegation.
City, who finished in the top half of the table last season, are three points behind penultimate Baroka and have a much lower goal difference.
Baroka scored first against SuperSport United, but Nhlanhla Mgaga received a red card shortly after conceding the tie and ended up losing 4-1 in Johannesburg.
The Premiership resumed on August 11 after a five-month suspension due to the coronavirus and matches are played behind closed doors in Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria.
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