Chiefs send message to Sundowns with impressive win over AmaZulu

Could we be in for the most-contested Betway Premiership campaign by the three giants of South African football in years?

That's the question Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are posing after all of them, for the first time in Premier Soccer League history, won their first two opening league matches — all three producing emphatic wins and scoring a combined 10 goals, conceding two, in their second matches.

It all started with Pirates in Orlando on Tuesday where they walloped Polokwane City 3-0. Sundowns followed that with 4-0 thumping of Marumo Gallants that evening in Pretoria. Chiefs joined the party with Wednesday night's 3-1 win away to AmaZulu FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Chiefs' comfortable victory was the least expected of the three given Amakhosi's struggles in recent years. But under new Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi, Chiefs seem to be gaining form that could see them come closer to their two nemeses.

The first major opponents that would have taken notice of how Chiefs dismantled AmaZulu, especially in a first half in which Ranga Chivaviro, Gaston Sirino and Inacio Miguel scored to give them a 3-0 lead inside the first 24 minutes, would be Sundowns.

The Brazilians travel to meet Amakhosi, who have registered their first back-to-back wins at the start of the Premiership since 2019-20, at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Saturday's match should be a third sold-out fixture for Chiefs this season after their away clashes against Usuthu and 2-1 opening league win against Gallants at Free State Stadium were also sold out hours before kickoff.

That the fans packed the stadiums shows how eager they are to see their beloved club succeed after nine years suffering without a trophy.

Chivaviro opened the scoring for Chiefs in the 12th minute, succeeding with his second shot after the first was blocked by Olwethu Mzimela in AmaZulu's goals.

The striker benefited from a good pass from Miguel after Chiefs had won possession in the middle of the park. What was noticeable about this strike was the speed with which Amakhosi moved the ball forward after forcing the visitors to lose the ball.

Sirino, signed as a free agent from Sundowns in July, doubled Chiefs' lead two minutes later, giving Mbanjwa no chance to save his shot. Mduduzi Shabalala set the Uruguayan free on the left, then he cut inside slightly before letting rip with a strike that sailed into the net to much jubilation of the Chiefs fans who packed the Durban venue. 

AmaZulu's poor defending continued to be glaring in Amakhosi's third goal, which came from Sirino's corner that was not defended until it was headed in by Chiefs' new Angolan defender Miguel. 

But the home side came back sharper from the interval and caught the Chiefs defence wanting to reduce the score in the 47th minute. Etiosa Ighodaro found himself with acres of space to beat Fiacre Ntwari, who was hoping to celebrate his birthday with a clean sheet. 

Sensing more trouble, Nabi made a double change just in the 50th, bringing on Edson Castilo and Mfundo Vilakazi for Njabulo Blom and Wandile Duba, the two players who did not contribute much for Amakhosi in the first half.

But with AmaZulu pushing hard for more goals, Chiefs lacked the momentum they produced in the first half, an aspect they will look to improve if they want to compete with Pirates and Sundowns, who showed no signs of fading in the second halves of their midweek games. 

Looking to consolidate and keep their lead, Nabi withdrew Sirino for defender Given Msimango 15 minutes from time, but that seem to invite AmaZulu to attack more and Ighodaro was unlucky to see his header hitting the upright in the 80th. 

Chiefs' poor second half and finish to this match would have been noticed by Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi. The Brazilians have beaten Chiefs home and away in the last two of the past seven seasons in which they have been only league winners.