Prestoria - Bernard Parker snatched an injury time winner to help champions Kaizer Chiefs to a 1-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in their Premiership clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium, on Wednesday evening.
In what seemed to be destined for a goalless draw, Parker showed the character of the title winning side as he chased down a cross in the Sundowns box and nudged home the goal in the 95th minute.
Before the regulation 90 minutes were up, the lowlight for Sundowns, it seemed at the time, was the sending off of Siyanda Zwane. The player received his second yellow card for a foul and the referee gave Zwane his marching orders.
With the win, Chiefs move to 66 points – to reach the highest points tally in a 16-team premiership season, beating the record 65-point haul of Sundowns last season.
Sundowns, meanwhile, were joined by Pirates on 48 points, but were still ahead of the Soweto side on goal difference with a game in hand.
The first half was witness to a lack of intent from Chiefs and similar levels of creativity on attack from the hosts. The approach meant the 25 000 plus crowd had to be content with a smattering of real goal scoring chances in the first 45 minutes.
In the 28th minute, Mzikayise Mashaba barged his way into the Chiefs box and reeled off a left-footed strike, but Reyaad Pieterse was untroubled as he made a comfortable save.
Matthew Rusike had the chance to open the scoring in the 42nd minute. Bernard Parker sent a cross into the box from a corner and Rusike’s header was directed just wide of goal.
Katlego Mashego for Sundowns attempted to curl in a shot from just inside the box, but was off slightly with his strike as the ball rocketed out for a goal kick moments before the interval.
A 51st minute free kick from Teko Modise saw the shot falling to Hlompho Kekana, but the Sundowns player was not able to get his shot away before the block came in from a Chiefs defender.
In the 56th minute, Sundowns were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box. Modise hovered next to the ball, the shot came in from Mashego but his effort was drilled into the Chiefs wall and the ball went out for a corner.
Minutes later, Chiefs had a free kick in a similar position just outside the Sundowns box. Parker stepped up to deliver the shot but his attempt curled wide of goal.
Modise had another chance for a goal in the 76th minute. The free kick specialist made a menacing run towards the box and soon had the Chiefs defence back-pedalling, but his strike did not match his promising movement towards goal as he lofted the ball harmlessly into the crowd.
Ultimately, it would be Parker who would have the final say which rubbed salt into the wounds of a disappointed Sundowns.
ANA