Saile looks the real deal, sets up goal as Kaizer Chiefs dethrone Royal

Kaizer Chiefs’ maiden victory over Royal AM should have been by a much wider margin — they should have exacted revenge for that embarrassing 4-1 defeat from last season.

But their profligacy in front of goal ensured they won just 2-0 in Sunday’s DStv Premiership game at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane via Sifiso Hlanti’s headed goal (60th minute) from a Keagan Dolly free-kick and a tap-in by Ashley Du Preez (85th) after a sweet low cross from the right by debutant Christian Saile.

Saile, the 22-year-old Democratic Republic of the Congo striker signed from Zambia’s Nchanga Rangers last week, gave more than a few glimpses, after replacing Caleb-Bonfils Bimenyimana in the 56th minute, of what led Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane to label him “a scoring machine”.   

The failure to slaughter AM notwithstanding, this was a well-deserved victory for Chiefs who, along with their partisan supporters — duly celebrated with glee at the end of the match.

After all, this was victory that ended a three-match losing streak in a season that will see them failing to win the championship for a seventh campaign running.

Zwane had spoken during the week about his pleasure at how his team perform as a group and said he was hopeful they would turn the corner.

He lamented the individual errors that have seen them not only concede goals and lose matches but also their failure to convert chances.

If he worked on it in the build-up to this match, the players clearly did not learn as Chiefs were once again error-prone, particularly in a first half that was stopped for 15 minutes due to light failure.

Amakhosi started the match the more energetic and threatened to score as early as the sixth minute when Mduduzi Tshabalala lofted the ball over Patrick Nyame but also too high over the target.

Zwane then had to make an enforced change when Reeve Frosler had to leave the pitch on a stretcher. Dylan Solomons slotted in nicely as a replacement and Chiefs continued to dominate an AM content to soak up the pressure and attack on the counter.

In the first half Chiefs had opportunities to score but Siyethemba Sithebe, Sifiso Hlanti and Bimenyimana fluffed their opportunities.

The visitors appeared content to play on the back foot and relied on the counterattack with Mfundo Thikazi looking dangerous on the right. He had two good chances to score, sending the ball skywards over Brandon Peterson’s goal on 18 minutes and shooting against the side-netting two minutes later.

Chiefs again looked the better side after the break as they attacked with verve with Dolly denied by Nyame when he attempted a low shot from close range.

The introduction of debutant Saile sent the crowd cheering but it was his teammates who were celebrating the most after he set up Du Preez for the second goal as Amakhosi grabbed three valuable points from a morale-boosting victory against a side that had previously embarrassed them.

Saile, who had beaten Ricardo Nascimento moments earlier through his legs to streak through, but then could not get power on a shot, beat Thabo Matlaba for pace and squared to provide Du Preez an easy finish.   

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