JOHANNESBURG – Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was responsible for the goal that cost Kaizer Chiefs maximum points during their 2-1 defeat to AmaZulu at the FNB Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The former Bafana Bafana No. 1 failed to deal with a corner-kick, merely punching the ball high up in the air which fell to Lehlohonolo Majoro who side-footed the resultant blunder into the top-corner.
This was a gamble that went wrong for coach Gavin Hunt, considering Khune was returning for his first match between the sticks since the blunders against SuperSport United late last year.
This was Chiefs’ third successive defeat, albeit having last played a competitive match a fortnight ago.
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Their Caf Champions League group stage opener away to Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca was postponed at the 11th hour last week by the mother body, Caf.
Wydad and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) declined Chiefs visas to their country, citing South Africa’s surge in the Covid-19 positive cases. Caf, then, decided the match to be hosted at a neutral venue in Cairo, Egypt, this Friday.
But Amakhosi wrote to Caf, saying they cannot be able honour the match due to a “few impediments”. Caf then re-scheduled the match for February 28. But the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) yesterday withdrew from hosting the match on the proposed new date.
The break, though, appeared to have done more harm than good for Chiefs who were coming from two losses in the league and Nedbank Cup last 32. So much that they went into the break trailing here, following a goal from Augustine Mulenga.
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The Zambian striker pounced on the stroke of half-time after benefitting from a goal-line clearance from Eric Mathoho. Before that, though, Chiefs were saved from their blushes by the woodwork, Mulenga having hit a thunderbolt that stretched Khune.
Chiefs, however, showed some vigour in the second half, considering their efforts paid dividends after striker Samir Nurkovic won them a penalty. Substitute Leonardo Castro took the responsibility and sent goalkeeper Veli Mothwa the wrong way. But Khune was once again the culprit for struggling Amakhosi.
IOL Sport