Chiefs open five-point gap after beating defending champions Sundowns
A brace by Samir Nurkovic saw Kaizer Chiefs open a five-point lead at the top of the Absa Premiership standings following a 2-0 win over the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium yesterday.
Kaizer Chiefs players celebrate winning during the Absa Premiership match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs at Lucas Moripe Stadium . (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
The intensity of the build-up to the rivalry between Sundowns and Chiefs was so much that Downs coach Pitso Mosimane choose to walk straight to the dugout and not greet the visiting coach – as it is an unwritten rule in football – Ernst Middendorp, and at the end of the first half, Mosimane caused a bit of commotion on the touchline.
Samir Nurkovic scored the first of his double in the seventh minute in a goal that riled up Sundowns’ bench and the Masandawana faithful as they though the Chiefs goal-poacher had scored from an offside position. The Serbian forward completed his brace in the 78th minute to hand Chiefs all three points and earn their supporters all the bragging rights.
The Glamour Boys went into the break in the lead but Downs had opportunities to level matters, unfortunately for the defending Absa Premiership champions, their chances seemingly fell on the wrong pair of feet as Andile Jali and Ali Meza were the ones who squandered the majority of Masandawana’s chances.
However, Sundowns did not go down without trying as substitute Mauricio Affonso was at the end of most of Downs attacks but goalkeeper made sure that nothing gets past him. In the end, the former Bafana Bafana coach conceded defeat, swallowed his pride and went to congratulate Middendorp in an eye-contact-less handshake as Middendorp beat him for the first time in his career.
The kick-off was scheduled for 15:30pm but match commissioner Abdul Basit Ebrahim had to delay the start of the sold out affair by 15 minutes as supporters were still making their way into the match venue.
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