Chiefs beat SuperSport to get a win at last and move back into the top eight

Mduduzi Shabalala brought meaning to Saturday's Freedom Day celebrations for hordes of Kaizer Chiefs supporters who have seen their club having one of its worst runs in recent times.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder, a product of Chiefs’ youth development, gave Chiefs a 2-1 victory over SuperSport United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, their second DStv Premiership win in nine matches this year.

The three points returned Amakhosi to a top-eight spot, a position they lost after a string of poor performances that included three successive losses before Saturday's match.

Both these sides came to the match with dismal winless runs, with Chiefs winning just one of the 16 league matches these teams had played in 2024 before they clashed on Saturday.

Chiefs opened their score with a goal through their Congolese striker Christian Saile who received a good cross from Pule Mmodi in the 20th minute.

Saile was the supplier of the assist for Shabalala to stab in the winner when the match looked set for a dull draw.

Saile’s goal came after 400 minutes of Chiefs not scoring in their previous three matches that they lost against Stellenbosch, Chippa United and relegation-threatened Richards Bay United.

That run of losses took Chiefs out of the top eight in the Premiership, but Saturday's win put smiles back on the faces of Amakhosi’s supporters who completed their Freedom Day as a majority on the stands.

Gavin Hunt’s SuperSport once again showed why they’ve not won a single league match this year having come to this encounter with six draws and two losses.

Hunt’s team started the second stanza better and were rewarded in the 53rd minute when former Orlando Pirates striker Terrence Dzvukamanja scored through a penalty.

Referee Sikhumbuzo Gasa had no option but to point to the spot after Chiefs left-back Sifiso Hlanti handled the ball in the area while trying to block a shot as SuperSport flooded the goalmouth just after the restart.

Despite the loss SuperSport remain sixth on the table but if their winless run continues in the last five games, they may lose their record of being the only PSL club that has never finished outside the top eight.

For Chiefs, the win comes as a big boost ahead of their blockbuster fixture against runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium on Thursday night.

In the other DStv Premiership match played earlier on Saturday, AmaZulu beat Chippa United 2-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban to move to 11th spot on the standings.