Absa Premiership
Full Time: Platinum Stars 2-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 17 May 2017
Venue: Royal Bafokeng Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs extended their winless run in the Absa Premiership to five matches after suffering a 2-0 loss to Platinum Stars on Wednesday evening.
Dikwena had the first effort on target in the 12th minute when Gerald Phiri fired a 30-yard free-kick goalwards, but Itumelng Khune made a good save to deny him.
Two minutes later Phiri was in the thick of the action again with a long range pile-driver, but Khune made another great acrobatic save.
In the 22nd minute Stars took the lead when Solomon Mathe powerfully headed home a left-wing cross from Gerald Phiri, 1-0.
Chiefs tried to take the game by the scruff of the neck after going behind and controlled the possession stakes, but still they struggled to breakdown a resilient Dikwena defence.
Instead it was Stars who doubled their lead a minute before the break when Chiefs failed to clear a cross from Abia Nale, allowing Enocent Mkhabela to turn the ball home with an overhead-kick following a goalmouth scramble, 2-0.
Chiefs came out firing at the start of the second half and came close to pulling a goal back in the 52nd minute, but Siphiwe Tshabalala curled his 16-yard effort just wide of the target.
On the hour mark Tshabalala turned provider when his right-wing cross was met by Gustavo Paez, but his header was well-saved by the Platinum Stars goalkeeper, Steven Hoffman.
In the 69th minute, a mistake by Willard Katsande in defence allowed Bongi Ntuli to break through on goal, but with just Khune to beat he fired wide.
Steve Komphela threw on Ryan Moon for Tsepo Masilela in the 80th minute as they looked for a way back into the encounter.
Chiefs piled players forward in the final 10 minutes, but could not find a break through as Platinum Stars held on for the 2-0 win.
Here's how they lined up:
Platinum Stars: 36 Hoffman, 27 Mphahlele, 6 Mkhabela, 5 Sithole, 18 De Jongh, 12 Mathe, 35 Phiri (14 Tshabalala 79’), 2 Mere, 15 Nale (19 Links 68’), 7 Shilongo, 34 Ntuli (36 Mwedihanga 83’).
Kaizer Chiefs: 32 Khune, 24 Masilela (29 Moon 80’), 26 Gordinho, 3 Mathoho (7 Twala 55’), 2 Mphahlele, 17 Lebese (23 Malongoane 66’), 12 Maluleka, 31 Katsande, 14 Tshabalala, 27 Ekstein, 28 Paez.
