Chiefs struggle to finish but still emerge as winners in cup tie
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. A Kaizer Chiefs fringe side strolled over their first hurdle in the Nedbank Cup - fourth division Edu Sports - with Siphelele Mthembu boosting his confidence with a hat-trick.
Mthembu added to his lone goal this season with goals in the 19th, 63rd and 92nd minutes.
Katlego Mphela scored Chiefs' other off the bench in the 84th.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter fielded a "B" team, retaining just two who had started in the 2-0 defeat to SuperSport United. He gave a first start of the season to left-back Siphiwe Mtsweni, and second starts to centre-back Lorenzo Gordinho, midfielder Ovidy Karuru and striker David Zulu. Zimbabwean Karuru's touches showed he might have more to offer.
Siphiwe Tshabalala, Itumeleng Khune and Siyabonga Nkosi provided Chiefs' experience.
Edu coach Bricks Mudau could afford no such luxuries. With a squad of just 23 amateur players, many youngsters sourced from the cash-strapped club's base in Soshanguve, the former Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns star had to put out his best possible line-up. And even they would always be at full stretch holding Amakhosi.
Chiefs at times threatened to truly overwhelm the amateurs, but their finishing was particularly scrappy. Still, they will have been pleased to have given some emerging players a run, got some of their walking wounded on the field - notably Mphela - and still progressed to the Nedbank last 16 comfortably.
Edu held a reasonable shape early on, working hard to cover the angles.
It worked well for the first 15 minutes, before Amakhosi found the fourth-division campaigners' Achilles heel - they struggled to pick up crosses, especially from Tshabalala's set pieces.
This was exposed when Tshabalala sent in a free-kick that Morgan Gould headed well over.
Siyabonga Nkosi played Karuru down the left in the 18th minute.
Karuru turned right-back Thapelo Phasoa and crossed for Tshabalala's four-metre header to force a sharp save from goalkeeper Bongani Dhladhla.
It was such a clear chance it seemed to have some shock effect on Edu. And within a minute they were a goal down, again from being unable to defend a cross. Mthembu headed home Chiefs right-back Kgotso Moleko's cross from deep.
Within minutes Nkosi headed across goal. Mudau's alarm was shown when he made a change in midfield just after the half-hour, Puleng Manaka replacing Vusi Sibiya.
And yet Chiefs could not capitalise on the shell-shock. They drifted out of the game and the first time Edu got to spend more than a fleeting few seconds in the Chiefs half was in its last four minutes. Tumi Ledwaba took a free-kick into the Amakhosi wall, and moments later Khune got a rare touch while taking a cross.
Zulu forced a save in the opening seconds after the break, as Chiefs came out lifting the tempo. Still, though, Amakhosi laboured to put away their chances.
In the 63rd minute Edu could not clear Tshabalala's corner and the ball fell to Mthembu in the small box, who blasted over when it would have been easier to score.
Such pressure had to result in another goal, and Mthembu did not waste another gift, tapping in from another scramble. Baxter would not have been pleased to see Khune stretchered off - apparently feeling dizzy - and replaced by Reyaad Pieterse in the 68th minute.
But the coach might have taken satisfaction given his current striker situation after the departure of centre-forward Kingston Nkhatha to SuperSport United, at Mphela's goal. From yet another Tshabalala cross the injury-prone striker rose to head in with characteristic class.
And there was more cheer for the coach as Mthembu headed in Chiefs' fourth in injury time.
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