Kaizer Chiefs were keen on making it three wins in a row at the FNB Stadium on Saturday against Mamelodi Sundowns who they last beat in April 2021.
Ranga Chivaviro put Amakhosi faithful in dreamland with a ninth-minute strike after being played through by Reeve Frosler.
However, Lucas Ribeiro equalized with a cool finish after Tashreeq Matthews had done all the donkey work to set up the South American.
The Brazilian attacker then teed up Iqraam Rayners for the second goal to make it 2-1 in favour of the defending champions, but Ribeiro was in an offside position which angered Chiefs technical team including Nasreddine Nabi.
Excellent goalkeeping by Ronwen Williams kept Chivaviro, Edson Castillo, and Ashley du Preez’s efforts from finding the back of the net.
Inacio Miguel scored what looked like a late equalising goal in stoppage time, but the goal was disallowed for a foul and this angered Amakhosi fans who threw objects onto the pitch as Sundowns emerged as 2-1 winners.
The officials have been accused of poor officiating as Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in the Premier Soccer League game played on Saturday.
Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has since called for the immediate introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the Premier Soccer League.
In his interview with SNL24, Safa’s head of referees Abdul Ebrahim commented on the whole issue.
Mamelodi Sundowns weathered a late surge from Kaizer Chiefs to secure a 2-1 victory at FNB Stadium on Saturday. The match was marred by controversy, particularly surrounding Sundowns’ second goal.
Sundowns also owed a debt of gratitude to their captain, Ronwenn Williams, who made three crucial saves in the second half, twice denying Edson Castillo and Ashley Du Preez.
A crowd of 83,381 witnessed the clash between two undefeated teams in the league. The match was delayed by 30 minutes due to heavy traffic and long queues outside the stadium.
Chiefs made a strong start, with Ranga Chivaviro scoring in the ninth minute after a well-timed pass from Reeve Frosler. However, Sundowns dominated possession and had several opportunities to equalize, with Iqraam Rayners missing a good chance.
Although Chiefs had won their opening two matches, they faced a formidable opponent in Sundowns, who were tactically disciplined.
In the second half, Chivaviro had a chance to equalize but missed the target. Gaston Sirino also delivered a dangerous free kick that Castillo headed toward the goal, but Williams made a good save.
Chiefs substitute Du Preez had a one-on-one with Williams, but the Bafana Bafana captain came out on top. The follow-up shot by Chivaviro was blocked by Lebusa.
As Chiefs pushed forward, Williams made another excellent save to deny Castillo in the 83rd minute. Castillo believed he had scored the equalizer, but a foul by Inacio Miguel on Lebusa prevented the goal from standing. Sundowns held on to win their third game of the season, but the match was marred by fans throwing bottles onto the pitch towards the referees.
Kaizer Chiefs fell to their first defeat of the season in a thrilling 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in a league showdown at a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Originally set for a 15:00 kick-off, the game was delayed by 30 minutes due to the vibrant crowd, which included fans navigating Comic Con traffic nearby.
Despite the chaotic build-up, the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric.
Chiefs, riding the momentum of two consecutive wins under new head coach Nasreddine Nabi, were eager to avenge their crushing 5-1 loss to Sundowns in May.
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