Kaizer Chiefs were unable to make a winning start to 2025 after losing 1-0 to Cape Town City at DHL Stadium on Sunday evening.
Betway Premiership
Result: Cape Town City 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 05 January 2025
Venue: DHL Stadium
Chiefs made only one change from their narrow win over Chippa United, as Christian Saile was recalled and joined Wandile Duba, Mduduzi Shabalala and Ashley Du Preez in attack.
Amakhosi had a bright start in the early exchanges but they only had one clear chance on 16 minutes after Shabalala's close-range shot was saved by goalkeeper Darren Keet at the near post.
City managed to get a foothold in the game midway into the first stanza but they could not hurt Amakhosi behind their defence.
The Glamour Boys, however, struggled to combine going forward towards the half-hour mark, as the sides cancelled each other out in midfield.
Nasreddine Nabi's charges came to life again in the latter phase of the first stanza, as they threatened going forward but they lacked the cutting edge in the box and the sides went to the interval deadlocked.
Muhsin Ertugral's troops had an ideal start in the second stanza as six minutes into the second stanza Darwin Gonzalez finally broke the deadlock with a toe-poked shot after he raced clear from a through ball by Thabo Nodada, following a quick transition.
Chiefs only had a chance to equalise on the hour-mark after Shabalala found space to shoot in the box but his effort was crucially blocked by Fasika Idumba.
Nabi eventually made attacking and tactical changes with 22 minutes to go, as Mfundo Vilakazi and Samkelo Zwane both came on for Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Yusuf Maart.
The visitors pressurized City in the dying minutes and Du Preez had a chance to make it 1-1 after he rounded Keet but his shot into a gaping net was blocked by Lorenzo Gordinho.
The Citizens defended in numbers in the tail end and held on to a narrow win, as Ertugral had a perfect start.
Here's how they lined up:
Cape Town City: 16. Keet, 2. Mkhize, 4. Petrus, 25. Gordinho, 11. Nyama, 14. Idumba, 26. Nodada, 20. Darwin, 21. Tjiueza, 23. Rhodes, 9. Soukouna.
Subs: 47. Oliaro, 10. Domingo, 12. Mokotjo, 19. Ziba, 22. Fisher, 53. April, 54. Ah Shene, 55. Amato, 58. Dondolo.
Kaizer Chiefs: 44. Bvuma, 39. Frosler, 84. Miguel, 14. Dortley, 24. Ditlhokwe, 8. Maart, 5. Mthethwa, 21. Saile, 36. Duba, 42. Shabalala, 9. Du Preez.
Subs: 1. Petersen, 4. Kwinika, 48. Cross, 6. Blom, 37. Zwane, 22. Matlou, 28. Vilakazi, 13. Mmodi, 7. Chivaviro.
