Masango on song

Easily their most frustrating 90 minutes this season saw Kaizer Chiefs still manage to extend their winning run to five matches with a 1-0 Absa Premiership victory over Bloemfontein Celtic at FNB Stadium last night.

Labouring in a slow-paced match, from nowhere Amakhosi sprang a 79th-minute move that saw an on-form trio produce a fine killer goal.

George Maluleka's pass set George Lebese free on the right. The latter squared for Mandla Masango to bury an emphatic fourth strike of the season for the winger.

Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter had the same starting line-up used in all his side's four league and cup wins. Considering each player's form - from the defence to the three-man midfield, wide players and strikers - that was not surprising.

Celtic's wily ex-Amakhosi coach Ernst Middendorp enjoys coming to Johannesburg with a plan to meet South Africa's big teams.

If it was Middendorp's plan to slow things down, it was spot-on. In the first half, Chiefs struggled to lift themselves above the pace. And the predicted threat from Celtic striker Gabadinho Mhango was ever present.

Mhango's powerful shot from the right edge in the 10th minute was tipped for a corner by Chiefs' goalie Itumeleng Khune.

Later, Musa Nyatama's pretty chip saw Mhango one-on-one with Khune, but the Malawian could not control.

Amakhosi ended the half strongly. Sometimes it's easy to see why Kingston Nkhatha is so maligned. Put through by Masango's pass down the middle, the striker had some attention from defender Bevan Fransman, but not enough to trip over himself as he did.

Maluleka had space on the right for Chiefs in injury time, but he shot wide across goal.

Chiefs found their stride in the second half . Lebese's free-kick from the left in the 53rd was curled sumptuously onto the crossbar.

Sensing a shift, Middendorp introduced Lerato Lamola for the less-effective Joel Mogorosi. Moments later the Celtic forward's run ended with a drive over the bar.

Nkhatha's run ended with an off-balance Lebese ballooning a shot. The Maluleka-Lebese-Masango lightning bolt earned Chiefs an ultimately deserved victory.

• Polokwane City lost 2-1 to Ajax Cape Town at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane last night. Thabiso Nkoana and Tashreeq Morris scored for Ajax. City were gifted a goal when the visitors' Abbubaker Mobara found his own net with three minutes to go.