Kaizer Chiefs suffered their first defeat of the season after Mamelodi Sundowns snatched a come-from-behind 2-1 win in a drama-filled Betway Premiership clash at a sold-out FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Chiefs were first to break the deadlock as early as the ninth minute through Ranga Chivaviro who helf off Mosa Lebusa to slot past Ronwen Williams and make it 1-0.
Amakhosi came close to doubling their lead in the 15th minute. Chivaviro sliced through the Sundowns defence and put in a low cross but there was no one to meet the tap in.
Iqraam Rayners then missed an absolute sitter in the 16th minute after a square ball from Tashreeq Matthews from the far left.
In the 31st minute, Lucas Ribeiro Costa equalized for the visitors with a shot into the top left corner giving Fiacre Ntwari no chance.
The Brazilian playmaker then tested Ntwari from range in the 34th minute but the Rwandan international shot stopper produced a top draw save to keep the scores at 1-1.
Rayners made it 2-1 for Sundowns in the 37th minute from Ribeiro’s pass with an easy tap in at the far post, to take the slender lead into the dress room.
Chivaviro had a chance to get his side back into the game in the 49th minute after taking on the Sundowns defence but send his shot into the stands.
The Chiefs number seven had another chance in the 58th minute after outpacing the Sundowns defence but again missed the target, and into the side-netting.
In the 62nd minute, Ronwen Williams produced perhaps the save of the match, tipping Edson Castillo’s header over the bar.
Williams then denied Ashley Du Preez in the 66th minute rushing off his line after the Chiefs number nine beat the offside trap.
The Bafana Bafana number one was at it again, denying Castillo’s diving header in the 80th minute from close range.
Bradley Cross had one last chance to salvage a point for Chiefs but his attempted overhead kick in the 87th minute went over the crossbar.
Castillo had the ball in the back of the net in stoppage time, but the Venezuelan was flagged for offside.
In the end, the two sides gave a great advertisement of South African football as the defending champions claimed the valuable points to stretch their unbeaten run intact of the new campaign.
