Kaizer Chiefs' trophy drought extended to seven seasons by Galaxy

Kaizer Chiefs’ trophy drought will be extended to seven seasons, and to compound that they exited the Nedbank Cup at the first hurdle, 1-0 against TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium on Saturday night.

Amakhosi may or may not have had a chance of pressurising Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premiership before their disastrous outbreak of more than 50 cases of Covid-19 derailed a league campaign gathering momentum in December.

To compound their misery, coach Stuart Baxter’s men returned from that experience, and the Christmas and Africa Cup of Nations break, finding themselves flat and largely beaten to the ball by Sead Ramovic’s industrious Galaxy.

Striker Augustine Kwem's 54-minute strike, profiting from Phathutshedzo Nange's blunder, handed last-placed Premiership team Galaxy a morale-boosting place in the Nedbank last-16.

As has been a feature of most of the last-32 matches on the return from the two-month Christmas and Africa Cup of Nations break, neither side managed much pace or fluency in the opening half.

But Chiefs were certainly the more flat and disjointed of the two, and did not produce a clear chance. Galaxy, with the evergreen 36-year-old Lindokuhle Mbatha all skill and movement orchestrating movements off the left flank, had three decent strikes at goal inside the opening half-hour.

Mbatha was played into space just before 15 minutes and squared across the box, and Kwem was knocked off the ball in the middle by Daniel Cardoso. The ball rolled to Lifa Hlongwane to shoot too close to Brandon Petersen.

Petersen gave an indication for why he had moved above Bruce Bvuma in the pecking order between the posts. Orebotse Mogae turned Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya — making a rare start — and fed the run and cross of Marks Munyai that found Mbatha, who curled a strike that had the ex-Bidvest Wits goalkeeper at full stretch.

More skill from Mbatha and a well-threaded pass allowed Kwem through to shoot across the face.

Back from the break, Mogae’s corner found Kwem up to find Petersen with his header.

Baxter added the much-needed tactical oil at the break to get his famous transitions operating far more smoothly in the second half. Khama Billiat, on the break, was able to find Nkosingiphile Ngcobo to shoot low at Galaxy keeper Melusi Buthelezi.

The Mpumalanga side, though, showed no signs of panic. They also were able to profit form a defensive howler by Nange.

Tracking back to easily win an attempted Galaxy through-pass down the right channel the Chiefs midfielder appeared not to look up before an attempted back-pass, seemingly in the direction of Petersen. Nigerian striker Kwem gleefully intercepted and struck the winner.

Before the hour Baxter introduced the back-from-injury duo of Samir Nurković and Leonardo Castro for Siyabonga Ngezana and Billiat.

Chiefs still had some decent movements in them. In one, just before entering the last 20 minutes, the interplay of the largely subdued Keagan Dolly and Castro's in the middle outside the box led to Njabulo Blom's cross from the right. Dolly volleyed wide from an excellent position.