Smiso Msomi
Richards Bay (0) 1
Mcineka 62’
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 0
Richards Bay dealt a heavy blow to Kaizer Chiefs’ top-eight ambitions as they beat them 1-0 at the King Zwelithini Stadium yesterday.
The Natal Rich Boyz also boosted their chances of survival as they stretched the gap between themselves and bottom-placed Cape Town Spurs to eight points.
A fourth defeat in their last five games for Amakhosi leaves them in tenth place in the DStv Premiership standings with the hope of a top-eight finish dangling by a thread.
Richards Bay defender Simphiwe Mcineka broke the deadlock halfway through the second half as he headed home a corner in the 62nd minute. The bustling defender showed the predatory instincts of a striker as he dodged his marker inside a packed box before guiding his effort home from the first post.
The pressure on Chiefs to turn around their fortunes was at an all-time high in uMlazi after Golden Arrows moved them out of the top eight places on the log. Needing to inject fresh ideas on the pitch, Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson made five changes to the starting team that lost away at Chippa United last time out.
Speedy forward Ashley du Preez led the front three in a 4-3-3 formation with Johnson seemingly opting for pure pace as a means to expose the home side’s defences.
That plan started positively for the visitors as they seemed to settle quicker amid the chaos and created the first real chance of the game in the eighth minute.
In his third start in four games, midfielder Mduduzi Vilakazi jinked his way past many bodies in midfield before firing a shot towards goal, but Salim Magoola was well-placed and handled comfortably.
A brief break in the 18th minute to nurse a Magoola injury allowed Richards Bay coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi to call his men into a huddle.
The normally observant tactician seemed to rejig his initial plan and opt for a deeper defensive line as his side began to defend from the edge of their box and looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
In what was a rare occurrence in the first half, Chiefs broke with a counter-attack of their own in the 28th minute as Du Preez and Saile combined to create yet another good chance.
Saile failed to capitalise on that, having been played through with a well-weighted through pass by Du Preez.
The Chiefs changeroom would have been filled with anxiety at half-time with the game goalless after 45 minutes. It could have been different if not for incompetent finishing.
The frustration was visible in Johnson’s body language on the Chiefs bench as he threw his hands in the air before unloading on Pule Mmodi, who had missed yet another chance five minutes into the second half.
Magoola’s attempted clearance landed at the feet of Mmodi, who had space to run into but his indecision allowed the defenders to regroup and dispossess him once again.
Richards Bay seemed to grow in confidence the longer the game remained deadlocked and after forcing a corner, they scored through captain Mcineka. With ambitions to find the leveller Chiefs threw on three substitutes in the 75th minute.
Sifiso Hlanti, Siyethemba Sithebe and Christian Saile were withdrawn for the fresher legs of Reeve Frosler, Siyanda Zwane and Ranga Chivaviro.
However, it was Mfundo Vilakazi that seemed to carry the firepower and creativity for Chiefs as he dribbled with ease and created danger for the home team. But even he could not stage a late rescue act for his beloved Chiefs as they fell to a disappointing defeat.
The Glamour Boys’ job doesn’t get easier in the next fixture as they play CAF-chasing SuperSport United next.
For Richards Bay, a crucial relegation ‘six-pointer’ is next on the cards as they travel to the Western Cape for a clash against Cape Town Spurs.