Kaizer Chiefs beat Richards Bay 1-0 to move fourth in the DStv Premiership in a vibrant crowd at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday.
Siyabonga Ngezana’s solitary header in the early stages of the first half was enough to see Chiefs record their second successive win.
Chiefs needed to respond after Orlando Pirates crushed Swallows 4-1 on Friday in the chase for that second-place spot, with the Bucs moving to third.
Zwane almost kept the same team that beat Pirates in the Soweto Derby last weekend, with Ashley du Preez ruled out due to an injury and his place was taken by Caleb-Bonfils Bimenyimana, who was preferred up top.
That meant the Burundi international and Christian Saile were paired as the starter for the first time after the latter had joined the club in the January transfer window.
The game started at a fast pace, but it was littered with many balls being over-hit and difficult to control by those who were intended to.
But Chiefs’ quality showed as they took the game by the scruff of the neck and Bay struggled to construct passes.
Chiefs then made it count. After Saile was brought down by Somila Ntsundwana just outside the box, the visitors made use of their first set play. Mdu Shabalala floated the ball in the box and Ngezana rose highest to nod it home unmarked in the eighth minute.
While Bay knitted the ball around and was not effective, Siyethemba Sithebe intercepted and released Saile who was on his bike, but when he opened his body he couldn’t curl it past Salim Mogoola.
Things got worse for Bay as Mogoola came off his line to cut the danger from Sithebe’s long punt ball and at the same time he connected with his hand and Masixole Bambiso sent the goalie off in the 19th minute.
Keagan Dolly would have been clear to score, but it was a good call by the man from George.
Bay became the eighth club to have a player sent off against Chiefs this season.
As Chiefs had the numerical advantage, Bimenyimana produced another stinging drive to test Neil Boshoff, who had replaced Langelihle Mhlongo after Magoola was sent off in the 34th minute, in goals.
It continued to be one-way traffic for Amakhosi thereafter but failed to increase the score.
Boshoff continued to be a busy man, twice denying Yusuf Maart’s long-range screamer and Bimenyimana reacting first to finish it off but again the former AmaZulu goalie was up for the task.
Kamohelo Mahlatsi had a great chance for Chiefs, but failed to connect, with the ball skewing off his boot later in the match.
Following this win, Chiefs leapfrogged Bay to fourth spot in the table with 34 points after 22 matches.
It’s now five league matches without a win for the Natal Rich Boyz, with the last coming against bottom-side Marumo Gallants in January.
