Disjointed Kaizer Chiefs suffer third away loss of the season against City

Cape Town City earned their first DStv Premiership victory in six matches in 2022-23, deservedly beating a disjointed Kaizer Chiefs 2-0 at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.

City, who scored through man-of-the-match striker Darwin Gonzalez and defender Nathan Fasika in each half, had never had such a bad start to the season since their founding in 2016.

The home side, however, found their form and rhythm against a Chiefs who played one of their poorest matches since the start of the campaign and suffering their third straight defeat away from home under new coach Arthur Zwane.

Gonzalez put City ahead in the fifth minute when Chiefs' defenders failed to close him down. Brice Ambina, City's impressive Cameroonian central midfielder, supplied a good through-ball to right-back Thamsanqa Mkhize who squared for the Venezuelan striker to score his third goal of the season.

Fasika’s headed goal in the 62nd came when City were under pressure from Chiefs who had a better start to the second half. Amakhosi allowed Fasika up to powerfully head in Khanyisa Mayo’s well-directed free kick.

City's second goal was courtesy of a Chiefs defence that failed to pick up Fasika — Siyabonga Ngezana in particular — caught in sixes and sevens as the Democratic Republic of the Congo defender found the back of the net.

Ngezana was the guilty party too in giving away the free-kick, bringing down Gonzalez just outside the box.

Eric Tinkler’s side could have gone to half time leading with more than four goals had Mayo, Taariq Fielies, Taahir Goedeman and Wayde Lekay taken good chances.

Chiefs played in patches and saw little of the ball as Ambina and Thato Mokeke controlled the match for City in midfield, feeding their attacking players with better balls.

Zwane's side started the second half better and winger Kgaogelo Sekgota tested City goalkeeper Darren Keet with a good shot, Chiefs’ first clear attempt in the match coming on close to 50 minutes.

This was Chiefs' first loss against City in Cape Town in five league matches and it further highlights their shortcomings in all areas of the field after defeats away against Royal AM (1-0) and Mamelodi Sundowns (4-0).

Zwane’s tenure as Chiefs coach will come under heavy scrutiny if his team fails to beat Stellenbosch FC in their MTN8 quarterfinal at the Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday.

Tinkler, who said it was about time City won a game, will go to their MTN8 games against AmaZulu FC at home on Saturday with great hope of progressing to the semifinals in a competition he won with the Citizens in 2017.