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Kaizer Chiefs’ Happy Mashiane celebrates goal with teammates during the DStv Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at FNB Stadium on January 19, 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Kaizer Chiefs snapped an eight-match winless streak with an impressive 2-0 victory over Petro de Luanda of Angola in their CAF Champions League Group C match at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.
In what was the Chiefs’ first win in the CAF Champions League group stage, they found something that worked for them and, more importantly, they kept a clean sheet.
The result leaves the Chiefs in third place in Group C with four points from three games and now they are back on the hunt to secure a spot in the tournament’s playoffs.
Their lower goal difference means that AC Horoya, also with four points, remains second with one game less.
The bosses will have to repeat this performance when they go to Luanda for the corresponding match on March 16.
It wasn’t a game that had many opportunities, but it contained a lot of action.
The Chiefs, who were disjointed in their 4-0 loss to Wydad Casablanca, were a long way from that mob performance.
They spent less time with the ball, but they moved quickly to create space for each other.
The bosses are still paying their Champions League school fees, but in their two group matches before this one, they have clearly learned one of the most important lessons.
That’s starting fast and scoring early.
That his goal came within half an hour through a powerful header from Eric Mathoho after a header from Nkosingiphile Ngcobo was a reward.
They needed to get some of the pressure they had put on the Angolans.
The chances were few and far between, but when Reeve Frosler and Philani Zulu pressed hard on the flanks, the visitors became nervous.
That Mathoho goal also made the Chiefs realize that Petro was vulnerable to set pieces and long balls.
They didn’t have Samir Nurkovic and Leonardo Castro to target, but Lazarous Kambole and, to some extent, Willard Katsande were the target men.
The Chiefs’ only other opportunity in the first half came in the 45th minute, when Mathoho put his shot over the bar.
Significantly, the Chiefs’ defense was stingy enough to prevent Petro from getting a decent shot on goal.
In the second period, the Chiefs continued to apply pressure through set pieces and long balls.
They should have gone 2-0 up in the 61st minute, but Daniel Cardoso’s header crashed into the post.
Six minutes later, Happy Mashiane fired a powerful shot that was well stopped by Petro’s keeper Dominique.
He could not be denied in the 79th minute when not only did he win the ball in midfield, but he outscored four defenders before launching a shot with his right foot that gave Dominque no chance.
Dominique was called back to make a save in the 89th minute when Ngcobo cut through two defenders and tried to go through him with a shot.
He stood his ground, but his team, which fell to a third loss and missed the quarterfinals, did not.
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