Mduduzi Shabalala shines as Kaizer Chiefs climb joint-top in the league

Kaizer Chiefs are joint top of the table with Mamelodi Sundowns a third into the season. Who would have thought?

Such, however, has been Amakhosi’s improvement from their wretched past two campaigns, during which they failed to finish in the top eight. Now, mentioning their name in the same breath as the country’s dominant champions for the past eight seasons no longer sounds misplaced.

Chiefs returned to the summit of the Betway Premiership table — albeit jointly with the Brazilians, who lead courtesy of a superior goal difference — thanks to a convincing 4-1 defeat of Orbit College at the FNB Stadium last night.

Man of the Match Mduduzi Shabalala helped himself to a brace, scoring in each half on an evening when he and fellow scorer Mfundo Vilakazi were in inspired form. Substitute Flavio Silva put the final nail in Orbit’s coffin with his second goal in four days.

Shabalala opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute, sweetly connecting from the edge of the box after being teed up by Thabiso Monyane on the right. Thabo Cele had combined with Vilakazi in the build-up, with the youngster releasing Monyane for the assist. Shabalala completed his brace just after the hour mark, before Vilakazi got his name on the scoresheet to give Amakhosi what appeared a resounding victory.

Late in the match, Chiefs pounced on an Orbit error, with Gaston Sirino combining neatly with Shabalala to set up Flavio, who found the net just as he did on Friday in the 1-0 win.

As emphatic as the scoreline was, Chiefs could easily have registered a rugby score had they been more clinical up front, given the ease with which they breached Orbit’s defence. Their finishing, however, often lacked the final touch.

Etiosa Ighodaro might have had at least two goals himself, missing chances early in both halves — heading wide on 11 minutes and then chipping over both the goalkeeper and the crossbar three minutes after half-time.

Monyane held his head in disbelief when his goal-bound shot was deflected for a corner, from which Chiefs struck the upright. Vilakazi then made a brilliant run down the right and cut the ball towards goal, only for it to be turned away for another corner as the youngster looked set to celebrate.

That wastefulness nearly came back to haunt them when Orbit pulled one back through Ayanda Lukhele, who headed past Brendon Petersen on 70 minutes to threaten a nervy finish. But Vilakazi soon restored calm with a superbly taken strike, controlling with his right before curling it over the goalkeeper into the far corner to make it 3-1.

Orbit pressed hard in the closing stages, forcing Petersen into a couple of smart saves and his defenders into desperate blocks, but Chiefs held firm for a win that takes them to 22 points from 12 matches — the same tally as Sundowns, who boast a goal difference of +12 compared to Amakhosi’s +7.

At the Princess Magogo Stadium, AmaZulu goalkeeper Daren Johnson did his Bafana Bafana prospects no favours with a costly error on the quarter-hour mark that gifted Bulelani Nikani the goal which gave Polokwane City a 1-0 win. Johnson fluffed a corner and parried the ball straight into the path of the visiting captain, who gleefully slotted home.

Sekhukhune United were held to a 1-1 draw by Richards Bay, while bottom dwellers Chippa United and Magesi FC played out a goalless stalemate.