Kaizer Chiefs and nine-man AmaZulu tough out first leg draw

As with Saturday’s match, Kaizer Chiefs and a nine-man AmaZulu slugged it out and could not be separated over 90 minutes of an entertaining 1-1 first leg of their MTN8 semifinal at FNB Stadium.

At least the game on Sunday produced two goals. On Saturday Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns could not breach each other in a 0-0 draw in their first leg.

At FNB Gabadinho Mhango opened the scoring in the 14th minute as AmaZulu exposed gaps in Chiefs’ defensive structure early on.

Amakhosi rallied and piled on the pressure as Usuthu increasingly played too deep and on the back foot. Usuthu had centreback Veluyeke Zulu sent off by referee Victor Gomes for a second bookable offence in the 54th.

Keagan Dolly capped a bright performance with the 61st-minute equaliser for Amakhosi.

Usuthu had Mhango sent off in the 90th, apparently for delaying while changing shirts.

Chiefs travel to Durban for the second leg at Moses Mabhida Stadium on October 23.

Amakhosi paid for coming out with a defence that was all over the place by conceding AmaZulu’s opener. Usuthu strolled through on a few occasions before scoring.

AmaZulu’s lively left wingback Riaan Hanamub’s cross in the opening seconds found the deflected header at the near post from Keagan Buchanan to force an athletic stop from Itumeleng Khune.

Chiefs centreback Edmilson Dove cut in from the right form a corner and struck powerfully from the edge of the box into the side netting.

From another cross by Hanamub, Makhehlene Makhaula headed onto the top netting. Midfielder Makhaula then got past Dove on the right and shot at Khune.

AmaZulu deservedly took the lead before 15 minutes as Buchanan took a pass in the centre and looked up to see Mhango peeling off undetected behind Chiefs’ centrebacks, the Malawian controlling and sliding a finish past Khune.

Chiefs fought their way back into the game. Kgaogelo Sekgota made a strong run at the box from the left and fed the run of Ashley Du Preez, through a one-on-one, but Veli Mothwa made the stop. Amakhosi’s new striker lifted the rebound over the bar.

In the first half of added time Sifiso Hlanti’s free-kick was palmed over by Mothwa. Sekgota’s corner fell to the right foot of Chiefs’ awkward-looking new Burundian striker Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana who scooped his volley high.

Bimenyimana missed another sitter soon after the restart, hitting over after Dolly did well to insert himself into a pocket of space outside the box and feed Sekgtota's run down the left.

A minute later Usuthu were reduced to 10 men. Zulu flailed with an arm and caught Sekgota in the face, Gomes producing a second yellow card for the big centreback.

Chiefs had owned a good 40 minutes of play when they finally managed to find the net just after the hour. Dillan Solomons burst down the right just outside the box and his squared-ball eluded several Usuthu defenders, Dolly again well-placed to bang in the equaliser.

Mhango's dismissal at the end had Usuthu coach Brandon Truter expressing his anger.

Gomes showed a third red nine minutes into injury time to Chiefs' unused substitute Lehlogonolo Matlou.

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