Can’t score! Can’t win!
That’s Kaizer Chiefs for you. For all their promising, enterprising attacks — and even with all their reputable strikers — Amakhosi just cannot find the opposition’s net.
They were at it yet again on Wednesday night as they huffed and puffed against a Siwelele FC side content to allow them possession, safe in the knowledge that their revered adversaries would fluff their lines in the final third.
On a night when Cedric Kaze was in sole charge of the team, with his co-coach Ben Youssef Khalil apparently away on family commitments, Chiefs used just about all their strikers and still came up short. Kaze made a raft of changes to the starting line-up that drew 0-0 with AS Simba in the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend.
Nigerian striker Etiosa Ighodaro made his debut, and expectations were that his combination with Wandile Duba would make Amakhosi sharper in the final third. Yet it was a case of the same old story as Chiefs looked as blunt as a butter knife despite repeatedly reaching the Siwelele box.
With a sizeable crowd coming out to support them, Amakhosi flattered to deceive in a first half that see-sawed both ways, with counter-attacks dominating the opening 45 minutes.
Siwelele were the first to ask questions, as Gampane Lungu used his speed down the left to leave Reeve Frosler for dead within two minutes, but Brandon Petersen was on hand to foil the promising attack and concede a corner. Lungu repeated the dose shortly thereafter, again skinning Frosler, but the move fizzled out into nothing.
Frosler made up for his early failings later in the game when he made a forward foray and combined with Mfundo Vilakazi, but he fluffed the chance by opting to go for goal when cutting the ball back for three awaiting teammates would probably have borne better fruit. A short while later, he smashed the ball from long range but missed the target.
There had been a glorious chance for Mduduzi Shabalala on 20 minutes following a break on the right, but he shot straight at Ricardo Goss.
Early in the match, Chiefs were able to carve their way through the Siwelele midfield and raised the hopes of their fans, only for the final pass or shot to fall short of expectations. Twice their attacks resulted in promising goalmouth scrambles, with the visitors’ defence looking at sixes and sevens, but they just could not capitalise.
Chiefs had a strong appeal for a penalty just after the half-hour mark when Wandile Duba appeared to have been tripped in the box, but referee Eugene Mdluli waved their protests away.
Kaze’s frustrations knew no bounds, and moments later he incurred Mdluli’s wrath for overzealously protesting a free-kick given against his team.
The Burundian coach rang the changes at the break, introducing Bradley Cross for Miguel Inácio and Glody Lilepo for Duba — the latter substitution injecting some spark into the attack. But again, indecision proved their undoing. The Congolese forward shot over with Ricardo Goss at his mercy on 52 minutes, and three minutes later Ighodaro dallied on the ball when taking a shot looked the better option.
Amakhosi then fluffed a free-kick opportunity from the right — the ball found its way into the box, but Mduduzi Shabalala’s attempt crashed against the upright and went over.
Siwelele had a glorious chance on 78 minutes, but Chibuike Ohizu shot straight at Brandon Petersen in a one-on-one situation.
Substitute Gastón Sirino summed up Chiefs’ night by dithering with the ball inside the box and missing a promising opportunity, as Amakhosi drew blanks yet again — no doubt leaving the many prolific, dearly departed scorers who have donned the famous gold and black turning in their graves, and those still alive wishing they could go out and help their former club.
