DURBAN - An improved self-half performance combined with a bit of luck helped Kaizer Chiefs to earn a 2-2 draw with Black Leopards at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
Speaking after the game, Gavin Hunt admitted that his side made silly errors yet again.
“We gave them an edge at the start through unbelievable errors. There were big mistakes from big players, which have happened since I’ve been here. There were a lot of opportunities in the second half. If Siphelele Ntshangase played the ball simply towards the end, he would have scored,” said Hunt.
Though they improved somewhat in the second half, the Chiefs' wobbly defense was heavily exposed in the first-half. Ovidy Karuru was the hero for the visiting side as his brace put Leopards 2-0 up before the end of the first-half.
Karuru scored the opening goal in the 11th minute, which was gifted to him by Itumeleng Khune. Whilst trying to distribute the ball to team-mate Eric Mathoho, Khune instead sent the ball straight to Karuru who made no mistake in capitalizing and slotting the ball into the net.
Khune, who is regarded as arguably the best goalkeeping distributor in the PSL era, committed an uncharacteristic era by gifting Leopards the ball. The mistake will only raise further speculation that the long-serving Bafana Bafana shot-stopper has passed his prime.
Karuru’s second goal in the 21st minute was created by good work rather than luck. Tebogo Makobela found the unmarked Zimbabwean, who scored composure to head the ball into the net and beyond the reach of Khune.
Whatever Gavin Hunt told his side at half-time must have worked because they entered the second stanza of the game almost a different side. Chiefs were unlucky to not concede a third goal five minutes later as Karuru played on Rodney Ramagalela. The 31-year-old struck the ball into the net but was correctly ruled out for offside.
After being played through on goal by Bernard Parker in the 69th minute, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo managed to pull one back for Chiefs. Chiefs showed fortitude to complete their comeback by the 86th minute as Khama Billiat as the Zimbabwean pounced off the rebound following a save by Leopards keeper King Ndlovu.
90 + 4’| #KC 2 : 2 #BL
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) December 9, 2020
Full time score: (Ngcobo 69’, Billiat 86’) Kaizer Chiefs 2 : 2 Black Leopards (Karuru 12’, 22’)#DStvPrem #Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/nVMJM6KGPW
Leopards coach Dylan Kerr alluded to the fact that his side were simply not as clinical in the second half as they were in the opening half.
“We did not keep the ball in the second half. You cannot flick a ball blindly. Karuru could have got a hat-trick but got his touch wrong towards the end and could have scored a hat-rick” said Kerr.
@Eshlinv