Defence key to Chiefs success

With Kaizer Chiefs romping to a runaway Premier League title, the key to their domination lay with their defence. Photo by: Luigi Bennett/Gallo Images

With Kaizer Chiefs romping to a runaway Premier League title, the key to their domination lay with their defence. Photo by: Luigi Bennett/Gallo Images

Published May 18, 2015

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Johannesburg – With Kaizer Chiefs romping to a runaway Premier League title, the key to their domination lay with their defence.

The AmaKhosi notched up a record 69 points from their 30 game season with 21 wins and pivotal to these results were conceding a paltry 14 goals in the Premiership.

Heading their battalion at the back was Tefu Mashamaite. The defender was appropriately named the league’s footballer of the season, Player’s Player of the season and Defender of the season. In his time standing resolute for Chiefs, he led the Soweto Giants to 19 clean sheets.

The 30-year-old developed his game at Bidvest Wits from 2005 to 2011 before moving to the Naturena side where he would later receive a call up to the national team.

The number 19 was also particularly significant for Chiefs as it was the number of matches the side went unbeaten during their record-breaking march towards league honours.

While the headlines were stolen by the players throughout their campaign, much of the credit must also go to tactically astute coach Stuart Baxter.

It was his second league title with Chiefs since joining in 2012, also having won the 2013 Nedbank Cup and the 2014 MTN8.

While Chiefs did not have any strikers in the top 10 of the scoring charts for the league, they did, however, have three players who scored seven times each. George Lebese, Mandla Masango and Bernard Parker all reached that mark in an illustration of the well-rounded gameplan adopted by Baxter.

One of the surprises of the season was the third place finish of an unheralded Wits side. The Clever Boys beat out the much-fancied Orlando Pirates who had to be content with fourth place on the log.

Another feather in the cap of Gavin Hunt’s charges were the number of youth players fielded in their lineup throughout the season.

“We brought the most kids on this year,” said Hunt.

“Eight kids from the under-19s. There’s no other team in South Africa that’s done that. We brought them on and we finished third on the log. These kids played their part during the year. From a 15-year-old Liam Jordan to the 19-year-olds.”

At the other end of the table, a tightly contested relegation scrap ensued. Moroka Swallows did well to avoid the automatic drop as they came into the final fixture of the season in last place. But a crucial 1-0 win over Bloemfontein Celtic on the final day condemned AmaZulu to National First Division football next season. Swallows, however, will have to battle it out in the promotion/relegation playoffs in their quest to stay in top flight football. If they are unsuccessful, Swallows will be relegated for the first time since the Premier Soccer League began in the 1996/1997 season. The only other teams to never be relegated are Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pirates and SuperSport United. – ANA

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