adminKaizer Chiefs got their 2015 CAF Champions League campaign off to a stuttering start, as they claimed an unconvincing 2-1 win over Botswana’s Township Rollers in a preliminary round, first leg clash at FNB Stadium on Saturday night. The Soweto giants will have their work cut out for them in the return leg in Gaborone in a fortnight’s time, with Matthew Rusike’s early opener cancelled out by an away goal from Rollers’ Segolame Boy just a few minutes into the second half. Tefu Mashamaite then netted an injury time winner to spare his side’s blushes.
It looked as if Amakhosi would steamroll their visitors after claiming an early lead and carving out several more good chances in the opening quarter of the game, but the Botswana side grew in confidence as the match progressed and deserved more for their efforts.
Chiefs included Itumeleng Khune in their starting XI for the first time since late August, while George Lebese, who has been in the headlines for off-field controversies this week, also returned to the team.
It took the hosts just six minutes to break the deadlock. After winning the ball in midfield, Bernard Parker was able to put Matthew Rusike in on goal with a well-weighted pass and the Zimbabwean coolly beat the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Amakhosi created several chances to add to their advantage, but the likes of Rusike, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Siphiwe Tshabalala spurned their opportunities and with them a chance to effectively kill off the game inside the first half hour.
The Soweto giants were nearly punished for their profligacy in the 35th minute when a fine passing move from Rollers gave Jerome Louis a sight of goal with only the ‘keeper to beat, but he blazed his shot high and wide.
The half ended with Chiefs still a goal to the good, but Rollers remedied that just a couple of minutes after the restart. Some slick one-touch passing saw the ball fall for striker Segolame Boy in the penalty area and he beat Itumeleng Khune with low, left-footed shot to make it 1-1.
Amakhosi coach Stuart Baxter responded by introducing both Mandla Masango and George Maluleka off the bench, but neither was able to spark the home side’s attack into life. Rollers themselves lacked no ambition, sending on former Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Manqoba Ngwenya in the 75th minute.
The match looked destined to end in a draw, but a corner kick in the third minute of injury time at the end of the game saw Tefu Mashamaite get up ahead of the goalkeeper and power home a header to hand his side a narrow 2-1 victory.
Teams:
Chiefs: Khune, Gaxa, Mashamaite, Mathoho, Masilela, Letsholonyane (Mthembu 82’), Katsande, Tshabalala (Maluleka 57’), Lebese (Masango 56’), Parker, Rusike
Rollers: Masule, Mathumo, Ncenga, Mooketsi (Bolweleng 21’), Moswate, Majawa, Ditshupo, Sikele, Kebaikanye (Koko 54’), Boy, Louis (Ngwenya 75’) — Supersport.com
Online Reporter