Kaizer Chiefs came from a goal down as two of the club’s academy graduates scored to beat Marumo Gallants 2-1 in their first Betway Premiership fixture of the 2024/25 campaign at the Free State Stadium on Saturday evening.
It was an evening of firsts, as Nasreddine Nabi took charge of – and won – his first official game for Chiefs, while it was Gallants’ first game back in the top flight after purchasing Moroka Swallows’ franchise.
The winning goal was also the first for 18-year-old Mfundo Vilakazi, who came off the bench to grab the victory for the Amakhosi.
It was Chiefs who looked to hit the ground running and the home team needed some last-gasp defending to keep the Amakhosi out in the opening minutes.
But it was Gallants who would strike first, as Sekela Sithole made it 1-0 in the eighth minute. A quickly taken free kick saw a swift attack and Sithole’s shot deflected off new signing Ignacio Manuel left Fiacre Ntwari beaten.
Washington Arubi made a good save in the 13th minute to deny Bradley Cross’ header, though picked up a knock. The veteran goalkeeper made another good save moments later.
Chiefs were level in the 16th minute as Mduduzi Shabalala raced onto a ball over the top from Gaston Sirino, and Shabalala delivered a great lobbed finish over an advancing Arubi. It was the last action for the 39-year-old goalkeeper, who went off injured moments later, and was replaced by former Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi.
Samkelo Zwane’s effort in the 23rd minute was deflected over, while Sirino went off target in the 31st minute as he tried to reach a ball from Shabalala. The Uruguayan had another chance moments later but shot straight at Akpeyi. Sirino set up Chivaviro in the 38th minute, but Akpeyi tipped the attempt over the goal. Gallants’ players thought they should have had a penalty in first-half stoppage time, but the referee wasn’t interested in their calls for a handball, and at the break, it remained 1-1.
Akpeyi almost made a costly error early in the second half, as held onto the ball too long and Shabalala was able to toe-poke the ball away from the keeper, but the attempt went wide. Xola Mlambo’s 50th-minute attempt flew over Ntwari’s goal.
The Nigerian goalkeeper needed to react quickly to make a save from a free-kick attempt from Sirino in the 52nd minute. And Chivaviro forced a good save from Akpeyi in the 63rd minute, and Shabalala was unable to get his shot on target after the rebound fell at his feet.
Gallants were reduced to ten men in the 76th minute when Joseph Malongoane was shown a straight red for a last-ditch tackle on Chiefs substitute Wandile Duba. Sirino was unable to get the free kick from the resulting set piece on target.
Moments later, Vilakazi, who had come in in the 60th minute, scored a terrific goal, his first for the Chiefs’ first team. Sirino sent Duba down the left with a good through ball and Duba showed good composure and delivered a square ball – Yusuf Maart ran over it and left it for the teenage Vilakazi – who fired home to make it 2-1 in the 77th minute.
Although there were a few late scares, Chiefs then did well to manage the remaining minutes and hand a victory to Nabi in the opening game of his Chiefs’ tenure.
Earlier in the day, in the league’s opening game, Royal AM came back from a goal down to earn a point against Cape Town City, as Motebang Sera cancelled out Prins Tjiueza’s early strike.
