28 Feb 2015

Township Rollers succumbed to a narrow 1-0 loss to South African giants Kaizer Chiefs, giving the Amakhosi a 3-1 aggregate CAF Champions League preliminary tie victory at the National Stadium on Saturday afternoon (February 28).

A 27^th minute goal from Chiefs midfielder Siyabonga Nkosi was enough for victory on the day.

Rollers and Chiefs clashed exactly five years since their traditional rivals played in a similar fixture; on that day Gaborone United shocked Orlando Pirates, the 1995 African club champions and 2013 finalists, knocking them out in a match played at Port Elizabeth on Sunday February 28 2010.

A near capacity crowd at the National Stadium was expectant of a repeat of the Reds feat, especially given how Rollers had given Chiefs a good run for their money in the first leg in Johannesburg on Saturday, February 14, before yielding to an injury time Tefu Mashamaite headed goal.

But this time, Rollers just could not make home ground advantage count.

Due to the massive support they enjoy across South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs are used to heavy support wherever they play, and their players are not used to hostile crowds.

Certainly, the packed National Stadium seemed really excited about the game, given the huge noise emanating from the crowd as the two sides made their way into the stadium.

But once the action got going, Rollers could not get the speedy attacking, passing football that could have excited the crowd further, and given Chiefs players the hostile reception they are not used to.

Instead the subdued nature of the game quieted the crowd, which benefitted Chiefs.  Rollers, needing just a narrow 1-0 victory to advance, needed to pile pressure on Chiefs from the beginning, but their attacking midfielder Segolame Boy, wingers Motsholetsi ‘Viva’ Sikele and Kobamelo ‘Swere’ Kebaikanye just could not get into the match and feed striker Jerome Louis.

Instead it was Chiefs who showed the early intent, Bernard Parker forcing a low save from Masule, and Siphiwe Tshabalala having his 30-yard strike well saved by Masule in the 15^th minute.  Chiefs’ Matthew Rusike would also strike the side netting in the 23^rd minute. The game would mostly be played in the midfield, with both sides not showing enough attacking initiative, until Nkosi scored in the 27^th minute; a left wing cross from Tshabalala into the Rollers penalty area was headed down by Rusike, and Nkosi fired in with a vollery. 

In the second half Rollers got into the game, and in the 58^th minute Louis came close to leveling matters when he met a right wing cross into the box, but his header went narrowly wide.

Chiefs looked content to sit back and absorb the Rollers attack, and Amakhosi coach Stuart Baxter illustrated his defensive intent by bringing in defender Morgan Gould, taking out attacking midfielder Mandla Masango.

Rollers mentor Madinda Ndlovu brought in Sekhana ‘Nandos’ Koko for Kebaikanye in the 63^rd minute, and later Manqoba ‘Shakes’ Ngwenya for Louis, but while the two showed some good touches on the ball, they just could not make Rollers late surge count.

Chiefs will now face the winner of the tie between Raja Casablanca of Morocco and Congo-Brazzaville side Diables.

Rollers will be consoled by the fact that for most of the two games against Chiefs in Johannesburg and Gaborone they matched the PSL log leaders who fielded strong full strength squads for both fixtures.