The draw took Chiefs to fifth spot on the log, while Royal AM moved up to 10th place.
Kaizer Chiefs wasted a good opportunity to move to third position on the Betway Premiership standings when they let a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Royal AM at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night.
Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi made two changes to the team that won 2-1 against Richards Bay midweek.
Dillan Solomons started at right back for Reeve Frosler who received a red card in the Richards Bay clash, while Gaston Sirino returned to the starting line-up in place of Pule Mmodi.
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Ashley Du Preez gave Amakhosi the perfect start to the match by putting them in the lead in the fifth minute with a low shot after he was put through on goal by Yusuf Maart.
Eight minutes later Wandile Duba doubled Amakhosi’s lead with a powerful shot after he was beautifully set up by Solomons. Unfortunately, the right back picked up an injury while doing the cut back and had to be substituted and Njabulo Blom came on for him.
Duba then wasted a chance to grab a brace and make it 3-0 for Chiefs when he found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper in the 19th minute, but Mpoto did well to come out of his area to make a save.
Bandile Dlamini also wasted a good chance to pull one back for Royal AM two minutes later, but he shot himself over the crossbar from close range.
Du Preez came close to grabbing his brace in the 27th minute but was denied by the upright with Mpoto well-beaten.
Dlamini almost made amends for his earlier miss in the 28th minute but Brandon Petersen pulled off a brilliant save to deny him. Six minutes later he was substituted and Sabelo Sithole came on for him.
Maart then wasted another glorious chance to increase the Amakhosi lead when he tried a clever chip over the goalkeeper, but the ball went over the crossbar much to the frustration of Nabi on the bench.
Sithole almost punished Chiefs in the referee’s optional time of the first half, but Petersen pulled off another good save to make sure that Amakhosi take their 2-0 lead into the half-time break.
The visitors took the game to the hosts in the second half and it only took them six minutes to find a goal through Ayabulela Maxwele who beat Rushwin Dortley to the ball and unleashed a powerful long range shot that beat Petersen in goal.
Sithole came close to grabbing the equaliser for Thwihli Thwahla but his shot went inches over the crossbar.
With Chiefs under pressure from Royal AM, Nabi made some changes bringing the likes of Mfundo Vilakazi, Samkelo Zwane, Pule Modi and Ranga Chivaviro. Vilakazi almost made an immediate impact, but his shot was saved by Mpoto.
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Thwihli Thwala were presented with a good chance to score the equaliser when Blom fouled Sithole just outside the box, but Mfundo Thikazi shot over the crossbar.
Substitute Levy Mashiane grabbed the equaliser for Royal AM beating both Chiefs central defenders to the ball before putting it past Petersen.Â
The draw took Chiefs to fifth spot on the log, while Royal AM moved up to 10th place.
