A thrilling encounter at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday evening saw Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu FC battle to a 2-2 draw in the Betway Premiership.
A pair of own goals from Ramahlusi Mphahlele and Richard Ofori proved costly for AmaZulu, who now find themselves in seventh place on the PSL standings.
Nasredding Nabi made wholesale changes to his squad, with six changes to their starting lineup after their recent defeat to Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby. Amakhosi started their bout with Usuthu well and came close to taking an early lead when Richard Ofori made a double save, denying both Yusuf Maart and Glody Lilepo.
The home side continued to pressure AmaZulu in the opening stages, with academy graduate Mduduzi Shabalala’s shot hitting the side netting. The KZN based outfit found their footing soon enough, enjoying more possession and creating scoring opportunities. However, it was the Soweto Giants who opened the scoring in the 17th minute through an own goal by Ramahlusi Mphahlele.
Tshepang Moremi equalized for AmaZulu just five minutes later, thanks to a setup by Rowan Human. The visitors dominated the midfield and threatened to take the lead, but Chiefs regained control prior to the half time interval.
After the break, Kaizer Chiefs made an early substitution, bringing on Sibongiseni Mthethala for Shabalala. This tactical change saw January signing Thabo Cele move further upfield as the team sought to increase their attacking threat.
The second half was an open affair, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. Elmo Kambindu’s header gave AmaZulu the lead in the 60th minute, but Chiefs equalized just three minutes later.
In the final 15 minutes, Kaizer Chiefs had several chances to snatch victory but squandered them, ultimately settling for a 2-2 draw.