Online Reporter
Kaizer Chiefs…………………………………..….(1) 1
Scottland…………………………….…………….0
NORMAN Mapeza showed that his priority lies in leading Scottland to a successful defence of their Castle Lager Premiership crown.
He kept his best players on the bench at the start of the Toyota Cup battle against Kaizer Chiefs in Rustenberg yesterday.
The coach threw in the players, who he normally keeps on the bench in the domestic battles, into the starting XI at the Royal Bafokeng Palace.
Goalkeeper Talbert Shumba was even making his first appearance of the season.
His usual team, including the Musona brothers – captain Walter and veteran Knowledge and the ageless Khama Billiat – were introduced just after the break.
By then, Scottland were trailing 0-1.
Mapeza must have had another eye on the remainder of the championship race where Hardrock cut their lead at the top to four points after their win over Ngezi Platinum Stars.
This was the first time the Amakhosi have laid their hands on the Cup at the third attempt with Mfundo Vilakazi scoring the winner.
Chiefs coach Fernando de Cruz praised Vilakazi’s defensive steel and his winner.
“It was a difficult game because they played two different elevens and have a different physical status than us because they are in season and we are in pre-season,” Da Cruz told SABC Sport post-match.
“I’m very happy with Vilakazi because he worked a lot defensively but he was able to score also.
“It was a difficult week, but today was a collective win and the player who went in helped the player who was in the starting eleven so it’s very important the mindset of our team.”
Fullback Bradley Cross, who was part of the Bafana Bafana team that did duty in the FIFA World Cup, was stretchered off at the end of the first half due to an injury.
The next step is recovery for the Amakhosi before turning attention to the marathon that is the Betway Premiership.
“It’s a very important player for us, but he had a short pre-season so we need to take time out and see him in some few weeks,” Da Cruz said.
“The first step is the recovery in the next few days and after that we prepare the next game on Saturday because we start our marathon in the championship.”
Chiefs set the wheels in motion and took the lead in the 17th minute when a long ball from Inacio Miguel led to a mis-timed clearance amidst the pressure from Ethan Chislett, with Vilakazi showing the presence of mind to pounce on a loose ball before firing into the far corner of the net.
Vilakazi, who has been a bit-part player over the past two seasons, came close to completing a first-half brace with a shot on the far side but goalkeeper Shumba was able to make the save.
The visiting team managed to come alive in the latter stages of the clash and posed their first threat of note when a curling delivery following a free-kick by Anderson de Campos sailed narrowly beyond the far side of goal.
The Zimbabwean champions featured a complete new eleven in the second half and amongst them were former Amakhosi stars in Musona and Billiat who looked to haunt their one-time employers.
Musona came close to rolling back the years in additional time with a powerfully struck free-kick from the edge of the area, but he went over the top as the Amakhosi secured their maiden Toyota crown. – Sports Reporter/KickOff.com
