Chiefs beat Chippa 1-0 in Durban.
Mduduzi Shabalala provided a moment of magic at the Moses Mabhida Stadium yesterday as Kaizer Chiefs ended 2024 with a Betway Premiership victory.
The 1-0 victory over Chippa United was also Nasreddine Nabi’s side’s first clean sheet in the league this season. But it was Shabalala who stole the show, dancing through the Chilli Boyz defence to give Chiefs the lead just before half time.
It was a goal to set the pulses racing and if the overall match didn’t really do the same, this was a valuable three points for Chiefs, just their fourth Premiership win so far.
Chiefs started brightly and it took a stunning save from Stanley Nwabali to deny them in just the eighth minute.
Wandile Duba’s cross from the right was met by the head of Yusuf Maart, and he powered a header at goal. But Nwabali leapt superbly to tip it over the bar.
Maart and Chippa United’s Seun Ndlovu both went down with head injuries in that same incident. Fortunately, however, both returned to the field of play bandaged up.
It was a dull first half, in truth, with defences dominating. But Chiefs came to life in the last few minutes. First Duba’s curling effort was tipped over by Nwabali.
Sensational Shabalala
And then, in the 45th minute of the game, Shabalala jigged his way into the penalty area, and stabbed in a near post shot that Nwabali got a hand to but couldn’t keep out.
Shabalala turned creator in the 50th minute, sending in a cross that found Rushwin Dortley, but the Bafana defender headed well off target.
