Kaizer Chiefs finally delivered a performance of some conviction as they began their bid to end their long barren spell without silverware with a 3-0 win over AmaZulu in the first round of the Telkom Knockout at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night.
George Maluleka, Pule Ekstein and Siphiwe Tshabalala all scored as Chiefs returned to an attacking approach, after several games with an uncharacteristically defensive outlook, and reaped the rewards.
Chiefs led 1-0 at half time through Maluleka and killed the game off with two quick goals early in the second half.
Both Maluleke’s 32nd minute goal and Ekstein’s effort in the 55th minute took hefty deflections while Tshabalala thrashed home a left footed shot from close range as he celebrated his surprise Bafana-Bafana call-up.
Ekstein had a much improved performance and had he taken his chances might have headed home with a hat trick.
AmaZulu could have been 2-0 up inside the opening 25 minutes, but both Rhulani Manzini and the veteran Mabhuti Khenyeza spurned good chances.
A deflection put Manzini in the clear on the left hand side of the AmaZulu attack in just the fourth minute but Itumeleng Khune did well to come out quickly, narrow the angle and block the shot.
But he could only watch with his heart in his mouth 19 minutes later when Willard Katsande missed a clearing header and the ball fell perfectly for Khenyeza.
The 35-year-old need only place it into the net to score against his old club but scuffed his side wide instead for a horror miss.
Chiefs scored with their first shot on goal, as Maluleka belted home from outside the box at the end of a swift attack set up by Khune from the back and propelled forward by the likes of Siphiwe Tshabalala and Pule Ekstein.
His shot hit AmaZulu captain Mbongeni Gumede on the shin and looped over the head of goalkeeper Boalefa Pule for the opening goal just past the half hour mark.
Ekstein, playing one of his early games in the gold and black, then had an opportunity for a finely crafted individual goal in the 39th minute, rounding the goalkeeper but taking too long to pull the trigger and allowing Pule the chance go recover and block his effort.
New defender Siyabonga Ngezana got round the back of the AmaZulu just before half-time but while his positioning was spot on, his header was well wide.
Ekstein fired home with a deflection off Mlengi Cele to make it 2-0 and Tsahabala’s goal three minutes later came after Joseph Molongoane delivered a cross from the right. - TimesLIVE
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