DStv Premiership
Result: Baroka FC 1-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 15 April 2021
Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs' top-eight hopes took another knock in the DStv Premiership after dropping points at Baroka FC on Thursday afternoon.
Chiefs made only one change from their draw with Horoya in the CAF Champions League, with Samir Nurkovic returning to the line-up after his suspension while shot-stopper Daniel Akpeyi did not make the squad.
Amakhosi were on the front foot early on and felt they should have had a penalty in the tenth minute after Vusi Sibiya appeared to have brought down Nurkovic inside the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
Baroka were not allowing Gavin Hunt's charges to build from the back on the half-hour mark as Goodman Mosele threatened for the hosts with a first-time low volley on the edge of the box that missed wide.
While Chiefs did have the momentum in the closing phase of the first stanza, Baroka managed to carve out another opening just before the break when Gerald Phiri Jnr's free-kick found Richard Mbulu, who sent his header wide of the mark.
The breakthrough did arrive just before the hour mark as Lebogang Manyama combined with Billiat on the edge of the box before skipping past one defender and goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke to slot into an empty net.
Hunt made a double change in the last 20 minutes, with Lazarous Kambole coming on for Manyama for fresh legs while Happy Mashiane replaced Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, in a tactical move.
Tshediso Patjie came close to snatching the equaliser just after coming on for Matsimela Thoka's men in the last quarter of an hour with a cracking diagonal free-kick from the edge of the box that acroatically parried away by goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune.
The home side got their reward nine minutes before time after Evidence Makgopa latched onto a cross inside the box and fired a low strike past Khune.
Hunt surprisingly took out striker Nurkovic with seven minutes remaining and brought on defensive midfielder Willard Katsande but Billiat nearly snatched the winner for Chiefs in stoppage time with strike inside the box that was saved by Masuluke, as the encounter finished all square.
Here's how they started:
Baroka: 30. Masuluke, 35. Mphahlele, 6. Sibiya, 5. Makume, 3. Gebhardt, 14. Mosele, 11. Masiya, 10. Phiri Jr, 27. Makgopa, 28. Monama, 9. Mbulu.
Subs: Mbiza, 2. Seema, 20. Patjie, 33. Farmer, 17. Kambala, 18. Shozi, 15. Mogale, 18. Dickens, 37. Kamatuka.
Chiefs: 16. Khune, 39. Frosler, 4. Cardoso, 3. Mathoho, 30. Ngezana, 45. Blom, 37. Ngcobo, 25. Parker, 21. Manyama, 11. Billiat, 9. Nurkovic.
Subs: 44. Bvuma, 2. Mphahlele, 31. Katsande, 6. Baccus, 20. Sasman, 7. Kambole, 22. Zulu, 28. Zuma, 19. Mashiane.
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