Kaizer Chiefs have made a marked inprovement in recent games. Picture: Phando Jikelo, African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town – Some may point to a fortuitous result for Kaizer Chiefs thanks to three penalties in a 3-1 Premiership away win over Stellenbosch FC at the weekend, but there’s no denying that Amakhosi have shown consistent improvement of late.
Chiefs failed to score a goal in open play during regulation time, nevertheless, their gangly Burundian striker, Caleb Bimenyimana, netted a hat-trick after referee Tshidiso Maruping awarded three penalties.
A search of the archives reveals that this was a first for SA professional football as no team has previously scored three penalties in a match. Maruping entered the history books as this is the first time in the PSL era that a referee had awarded three penalties to the same side.
Bimenyimana’s scoring ability can be directly linked to Chiefs’ success. Last week, he scored in Chiefs’ 2-1 win over Swallows. Previously, he scored both Chiefs’ goals (one was a penalty) in their 2-1 win over SuperSport United.
His goal tally now stands at six (four penalties), and he has joined Mamelodi Sundowns’ prolific marksman Peter Shalulile as the league’s leading goalscorers.
Stellenbosch battled to contain Bimenyimana’s runs into the box. He was fouled twice, and that accounted for two of the three penalties. He has become a match-winner.
Chiefs’ coach Arthur Zwane has realised his worth, and moved to withdraw him from the action over the weekend after he picked up a yellow card early in the second half.
“After scoring the third goal, I was more worried about Caleb,” said Zwane.
“He was on a yellow, and it was for us to keep him off the field because by nature he is aggressive. He could have easily picked up a second booking. If that happens, we will miss him for the next few games. I had to take him out and bring on ‘Mshini’ (Nkosingiphile Ngcobo) to slow down the game. We still had Keagan (Dolly), (Kgaogelo) Sekgota and Ashley (du Preez) up front.”
The other major factor in the side’s improved performance was the role of Edmilson Dove, the Mozambican international has been a tower of strength in central defence.
Over the weekend against Stellenbosch, he picked up a second Man of the Match award. It is rare for a player to score a hat-trick for the winning side and not take that coveted honour.
He has established himself as the team’s best defender after clearing the defensive lines and laying on superb balls from deep. He covers well when his wing-backs are caught out of position and he is an excellent reader of the game, so he is never caught out of position.
Chiefs’ next game will be a Premiership home encounter against Chippa United at the FNB Stadium on Saturday. Chiefs are likely to be without their skipper Itumeleng Khune.
He left the field on Saturday just before half-time after suffering a groin injury and was replaced by reserve goalkeeper Brandon Peterson.
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