Chiefs are champions of SA soccer

23 April 2015 - 02:10 By Marc Strydom

Kaizer Chiefs are the 2014-2015 Absa Premiership champions, wrapping up the title in style with three games remaining as they cruised past Polokwane City with a 4-1 win at FNB Stadium last night. Again Chiefs earned an efficient victory reminiscent of Alex Ferguson's Manchester United that has been the hallmark of what could prove their most dominant season in the PSL era.Chiefs have looked like champions since getting their noses ahead of the rest from day one, when they strong-armed Free State Stars off an appalling Charles Mopeli Stadium pitch for a 1-0 win in their season opener.After a 19-game unbeaten start, they rode the speed bumps that followed. Last night they extended their lead over second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns - in an academic 1-1 draw against Platinum Stars in Pretoria last night - to an unassailable 15 points.After winning the title in coach Stuart Baxter's first season two years ago, then being found out last season - and conceding an 11-point gap to finish runners-up to Sundowns - Chiefs have added new dimensions to their play.On 63 points, Amakhosi will not relax as they have Sundowns' year-old 65-point record in their sights.Goals from George Lebese in the 27th minute, Bernard Parker (32nd) and Matthew Rusike (55th and 65th) were answered only when City striker Rendani Ndou pulled one back in the 57th.Willard Katsande produced the chip over for Lebese to beat an offside trap to finish past goalkeeper Modiri Marumo for the winger's eighth league goal.Within five minutes it was 2-0. Siphiwe Tshabalala's freekick from the right was half-punched by Marumo into one of his own defenders' legs, allowing Parker a bread and butter volley.Chiefs added a third when Tshabalala danced past leftback Kabelo Lichaba and squared for Rusike to bury his first league goal of the season into the top-right corner.But the Amakhosi defence allowed Ndou space to curl a delicious finish around a stranded Pieterse. From Tshabalala's freekick Rusike got ahead of the defence to head in and kill the game off.Mogakolodi Ngele reminded future employers Mamelodi Sundowns of his potential when he scored for Platinum Stars last night to force a 1-1 draw, Mark Gleeson reports from Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.The Brazilians have already bought the Botswana international for next season.He came off the bench to strike home a left-footed freekick in the 68th minute. Sundowns, whose title hopes were ended by Chiefs, had taken the lead in the 50th minute when Alje Schut flicked on a fine freekick from Teko Modise.After Schut's goal, Cuthbert Malajila might have doubled the score in the 58th minute but he got his feet in a muddle and missed.Masibusane Zongo could have won the game for Stars but the substitute missed a back-post chance in the 85th minute.The Champions' road to gloryA few stats to illustrate Chiefs' league dominance en route to the 2014-2015 PSL title:0 - Home matches lost by Chiefs. They have lost just two of their last 47 home league games.2 - League games lost by Chiefs (Supersport Utd 0-2; Maritzburg Utd (0-1).7 - Goals by top-scorer George Lebese (in 20 starts).8 - Winning run before 1-1 draw with Swallows in October.12 - League titles in their 45-year history.18 - Clean sheets, 27 games.19 - wins (with six draws and two defeats). With three games left they can break the 20-win record set by Sundowns last year.26 - Players used by Stuart Baxter this league season.63 - Points Chiefs needed to ensure league win - two short of record 65 in a 30-game league set by Sundowns. - Nick Said..

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