Kaizer Chiefs suffered a fourth straight defeat after falling 1-0 to Richards Bay FC in their Betway Premiership encounter at the uMhlathuze Sports Complex on Tuesday evening.
Chiefs came into this match on the back of recent losses to Zamalek, Stellenbosch FC, and Orlando Pirates.
Thulani Gumede netted the lone goal for the KZN side, securing their first league win since November last year, when they defeated AmaZulu.
A notable inclusion and a change from the Chiefs’ Soweto Derby starting line-up was Nkanyiso Shinga, who made his debut, having not featured in an official match since arriving at the club at the start of the season.
He replaced Zitha Kwinika, who is suspended for one game. Amakhosi made five changes to the side that started against Orlando Pirates, bringing in Dillan Solomons, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Asanele Velebayi, and Gaston Sirino in place of Thabiso Monyane, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Pule Mmodi, and Glody Lilepo.
Chiefs further made a seemingly forced change ahead of the game, taking off Inacio Miguel for Bradley Cross. There were no changes for the Natal Rich Boyz, who stuck with the same eleven that featured in their previous game.
The early stages were marked by caution, with both teams wary of giving away an early goal. The hosts presented some moments of scare in the Chiefs’ box, but couldn’t find an early breakthrough.
In the 22nd minute, Richards Bay threatened to break the deadlock when Barns unleashed a fierce effort that was parried by Bruce Bvuma. Lundi Mahala reacted quickest to the rebound but saw his follow-up attempt drift inches wide of the target.
The Gauteng side found it difficult to make their forward moves count, with the away team continuing to press high and apply pressure. Chiefs had a few opportunities ahead of half-time, but they couldn’t turn their attacking moments into anything meaningful.
Coming back for the second half, in the first five minutes, Amakhosi enjoyed more of the ball and tried to dictate play going forward. Despite that, Richards Bay posed a constant threat whenever they surged ahead, with Chiefs appearing vulnerable at the back.
In the 68th minute, Thulani Gumede broke the deadlock, giving his side a crucial lead after being set up neatly by Sanele Barns.
Chiefs made a couple of changes in an attempt to get back into the game, but the Natal Rich Boyz remained solid at the back. Instead of sitting deep to defend their lead, Richards Bay continued to push forward.
Amakhosi failed to stage a comeback, suffering their third consecutive league defeat. They remain fifth in the standings with 30 points from 18 matches, while Richards Bay sit ninth with 23 points from 19 games.
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